Not Just A Game
by Doodle6721
Summary: A Quidditch tournament might be Rose's chance to break away from what her parents want and to fulfill her dream of playing professionally. With a contract on the line Rose will do anything, even if it means hurting feelings and breaking a few hearts.
1. Chapter 1

**NEW STORY! Whoooo! And this time I _promise _that I will finish the story... :P**

**I'm sorry it took me awhile to post but I wanted to do a few things first. I wanted to write at least 3 chapters (which I did) and I wanted to try and have it beta-ed. But it's been a week and I haven't heard anything, so I decided to post it because I couldn't wait any longer. **

**So... Enjoy! I hope you guys really like this story because I'm so excited for it! And Pottermore... but I'm still without a Welcome Letter... :(**

**Alright... CHAPTER 1!**

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><p>"Rose!" I laughed as I glanced over my shoulder to see my cousin, Albus, currently chasing me down the Hogwarts Express looking quiet disheveled. He managed to sneak past the candy trolley and over a few bickering fourth years. "Rose Nymphadora Weasley, stop!"<p>

"Nope!"

"Seriously Rose! Get your arse over here!"

I continued to maneuver my way further do the train. If I could just get back to the compartment I'd be protected from Al. I looked back again to make sure he was a safe distance away. Bring my attention back to the front, I groaned. James and Fred blocked the hallway with twin smirks on their faces. "Not now you two," I said as I slowed down to stop in front of them. "If you haven't noticed I've got an angry Al on my heels and I need to get by."

James's smirk only grew bigger. "But where's the fun in that?"

"If we let you go ickle Albus would only direct his fury upon us."

"I'll do both of your homework for a month," I pleaded, aware that Albus could only be kept at bay by the star struck first years for so long.

James and Fred looked at each other then back at me. "Pass," they grinned simultaneously.

I could feel my face grow redder and hotter with anger. My eyes narrowed and pulled my wand out of my pocket and pointed it in their faces. "Now, if you two bloody idiots don't bloody move I will hex you into the next century!"

"Enjoy your day Miss Weasley," Fred smiled as the two of them stepped to the side, ushering me to go on.

When I finally reached the compartment I let out a large sigh and slouched into the seat next to Lily.

"We're not even at Hogwarts yet and you've already caused a problem?"

I nodded, unable to form words as I still tried to capture enough air to breathe properly.

"We'll then," my red-haired cousin smiled at me from behind her Quibbler, "I'm very proud of you. What exactly did you do?"

"Well, I—"

"I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU!" I bit my lip as Al marched thru the door and over to me. "You can't just go around locking people in compartments, Rose! What am I suppose to say to Pomona, now? She already thinks I'm mental!"

Lily raised her eyebrow at me, "You locked him in the prefect compartment with Pomona?"

Ignoring her, I looked at Al. "First off. She does not think you are mental! She just thinks you're a bit… strange…" Albus glared. "Second. I had to do something! You've been giving her longing looks since fourth year! It was about damn bloody time that you act like a Gryffindor and ask her to Hogsmeade!"

"I do act like a Gryffindor!"

Hugo and Lucy tried to stifle their laughs from the other side of the compartment.

"I'm just saying that it's the start our sixth year and you need to make it count! We only have two years left, Al! Make them matter!"

Albus remained quiet for a few seconds before slipping into the seat next to mine. "Yeah," he grumbled, "but why did you have to lock us the compartment. Couldn't you have just bribed Louis to make sure we did our prefect duties together or set up a double date?"

"Double date? Yeah, right! Who would I have gone with?"

"Frank?" Albus shrugged.

"Frank Longbottom? Her brother! No way! We're just friends."

Lily giggled, "What about Scorpius?"

I snorted, "Yeah, that would work! We'd _Avada_ each other before the two of us even left Hogwarts! Besides I'd rather spend my sixth year in detention scrubbing cauldrons with Filch than do anything with that ferret!"

"Rose," Lucy sighed, not bothering to look up from her current game of Wizard's Chess, "settle down. I'm sure Lily was kidding."

"Checkmate," Hugo leaned back in his seat, a self-satisfied look appearing on his face.

Lucy banged her hands down onto the chess board, "Damn it!"

"Kidding or not, can we please just refrain from talking about Malfoy. It's bad enough that we have to do prefect duties together. I just want an afternoon without having to see that smirk or hear that wretched name," I surveyed the compartment to see that everyone agreed to my plan. Hugo rolled his eyes before setting up another game of chess with Lucy. Lily hid behind her article about nargles and Al was staring out the compartment window, oblivious to all. "Good," I said happily before taking out my book, _Quidditch Through the Ages_, and flipping to the page I had previously bookmarked.

"Scorpius."

"LILY!"

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><p>"Pucey, Yaoré!" Professor Neville Longbottom called up a small girl prior to placing the ratty old sorting hat upon her head. I huffed. In all honesty, I could care less about the sorting. All I wanted was food and hopefully an infamous Gryffindor party once the lot of us return back up to the towers.<p>

"So," James whispered next to me, "how did ol' Albie react when he finally caught up with you?"

I turned away from the sorting and over at James. Resting my cheek in the palm of my hand with my elbow leaning on the table, I smiled, "Surprisingly I got away with just yelling."

Fred's facial expression changing into one of shock and disgust, "Sixteen years of our influence and you'd think we'd have rubbed off on him by now. How is it that he didn't get sorted into Hufflepuff?"

"Sometimes I wonder if we're really related," James scrunched in his eyebrows and examined his brother. "Doesn't play Quidditch, doesn't play pranks, he's a _prefect_…" I gave James a look, which he didn't see. Obviously he was oblivious to not only me but my prefect badge as well. "…and he's not nearly as good-looking as I am."

"Not to mention he has an ego about half the size of yours."

"I think you also forgot that he has about twice the brains," Fred laughed softly before getting thumped.

Rose shifted in her chair when her older cousins began a punching war and saw that Neville had returned to his seat at the staff table and Professor McGonagall was now standing. "Welcome! I welcome all of you to what I hope is going to be another fantastic year at Hogwarts! Enjoy your feast!"

Once the food appeared, my eyes grew twice in size and my hands scurried to pile my plate up with as much food as I could muster. I spent most of the meal eating and the rest of it trying to talk in between my mouthfuls of carrots and roast beef. By the time dessert had come my Hogwarts uniform was becoming a bit uncomfortable. I was polishing off my third treacle tart when I heard Frank Longbottom ask if I was taking potions this year. Nodding my head, I quickly swallowed the dessert and responded, "Yeah, I am. I didn't want to but Mum's pushing me to become a Healer, Dad an Auror and, well, I couldn't exactly say no."

"When are you going to tell them about Quidditch?"

I bit my lip. This question had certainly popped in my head more than once. It wasn't Dad I was afraid of. After all, he'd probably be ecstatic to see his daughter play professionally, even if it was as a chaser. Mum, she was the one I was nervous about. "I was thinking that I'll just surprise them and show up at their door in my Puddlemere United robes and hope for the best."

"Mind if I join you, Rose," Fred asked as he took a bite of his rice pudding, "I'd love to take a picture to document the look on Uncle Ron's face."

"Sure, I'll need someone to diffuse the tension." We stopped laughing at the sound of the Great Hall doors opening and closing shut. I strained to look over the Hufflepuff table. Only managing to catch a glimpse of the top of a man's head and plopped back into my seat. "Who's that?" I asked utterly confused. No one responded. Their attention was occupied as McGonagall smiled warmly at the tall man and shook his hand.

He remained at the Headmistress's side as she looked our way to begin her speech and hopefully some sort of explanation as to who he was and why he was in our school. "Now, I would like to share a few start-of-term notices.

"A reminder to all students that the forest on the grounds in forbidden. Mr. Filch, our caretaker, wants me to remind you that no magic is to be used in the corridors in between classes. This includes any Weasley's Wizard Wheezes products," McGonagall gave a small smile whilst looking at James and Fred over her spectacles.

"And I assume most of you have been wondering about our guest, I bring the attention to a rather large change in this year, involving Quidditch." Over half of the hall straighten up and gave their full attention to the front. "This year there will be no Quidditch Cup. Now," McGonagall raised her hands to stop and sudden outbursts or profanities that were likely to slip out of people's mouths, "in its place will be a tournament of sorts. Mr. Bilderfudd is here to explain to you the rules and regulations."

The brown-haired man stepped forward and offered a big grin. "Hello, I'm Edward Bilderfudd, manager of the Chudley Cannons. After having yet another disappointing season, my staff and I have decided to put an end to our losing streak by hosting this competition. Your job is to put together a Quidditch team: it doesn't have to be your house team, any team will do. From there you will compete against each other in multiple matches. The team that wins will receive a prize."

By now the whole Great Hall was quiet in anticipation. Even James and Fred were quiet, and I think that's something I've seen once, maybe twice in my life.

"The seven players that manage to defeat all the others will receive a one-year contract with the Chudley Cannons after their graduation from Hogwarts."

The silence was gone. Shouts of excitement and talks of forming teams had already begun.

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><p><strong>REVIEW!<br>Chapter 2 should be up in a couple of days... as soon as I get a handful of reviews... :D**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey, so I uploaded chapter 2 earlier than originally planned... but only because I got _ZERO_ reviews! I know it wasn't the most interesting chapter but it would have been nice to get one... **

**Well, this chapter is a bit more funny (in my opinion) and it is also the introduction of Scorpius... I won't be getting to the _drama_ until at least chapter 4... maybe 5. But chapter 3 is done and it's a little (and I mean little) dramatic and also kinda funny at the end... **

**So PLEASE review... I need them... they help my write :)**

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><p>The night seemed to have stretched on forever. Typical conversations about our summer vacations and how well we did on our O.W.L.'s were replaced with talks of upgrading brooms and whether Finnegan or Wilkins was going to be the third chaser. By midnight I had already had six different offers, two of which coming from a group of second years.<p>

I had managed to slip away from Leo Thomas's babble about quaffles and reached the back corner to grab another butterbeer.

"So," James slipped in next to me, grabbing the firewhiskey, "did Creevey talk to you too?" I nodded. "He offered to be my own personal house elf for the year. I must say, I almost agreed to it. He's very persuasive."

He took a sip and I rolled my eyes. "As tempting as his offer was, I know you. You'd rather get a Dark Mark than abandon your team, Captain."

"Abandon my team. Never! Replace Andrews… maybe."

"Sounds okay to me. He's a prat, everyone knows it."

He sighed, and looked at me with serious eyes, "I want this, Rose."

"I know."

"I've been dreaming of playing professional Quidditch ever since I got my first toy broom. This could be my chance. If I win this I won't have to work at Uncle George's shop anymore." I nodded, knowing exactly what he meant. We both loved the shop, but when it came down to it we didn't want jokes and pranks to be what made up the rest of our lives. We'd leave that to Fred. "Mum would be so proud of me. Your dad too, Rose. He'd probably come to our games decked out in only orange."

My grin spread for ear to ear, "Yeah, and he'd have his face painted too. Hugo would be right there next to him."

"I'd be doing what?" Hugo asked. He reached for two butterbeers and I slapped my hand down, swatting his away. "Ouch! What the bloody hell was that for?"

I gave him a look I'd seen my parents use on me one too many times before. "How many have you had tonight?"

He groaned and rolled his head back, "Seriously? I had to deal with a mum all summer and now I have one at school too? I'm fourteen, Rose. I think I can figure out when I've had too much." My brother snatched the drinks and scurried off before I had a chance to argue.

"Fourth years," James snickered as he took a large gulp. "Wait till he tries firewhiskey. Then we'll have to keep him on a leash."

"Sorry, forgot this," Hugo slurred before tugging the bottle out of James's calloused hands causing my cousin to shout.

"Oi!"

I slammed down my butterbeer and stormed off in search of my soon to be hexed brother. "Hugo!" My fingers clawed into his t-shirt and yanked him backwards. He spun to face me, showing off his annoyed, irritated look. I pointed my finger and shook it inches away from his freckled nose, "I don't care how well you think you can handle your liquor, you are not having any firewhiskey! I don't want to be the one to find you half naked in the dungeons with your wand wedged in your ear!"

"That was one time!" Hugo yelled, frantically throwing his hands about. "At least you didn't find me in bed with Frank Longbottom!"

"For the last time, he took me up there to talk! I had a little too much to drink and I fell asleep!"

"Really?" My brother quirked his head to the side and pushed is lower lip out. "I didn't know that talking was a synonym for shagging?"

"Very mature, Hugo," I sneered. Stealing the bottle out of his hand and sending him a death glare before I left in search of one of my less aggravating relatives.

Lily sat perched atop the arm of the sofa staring out at the chaos before her. Tonight she was quiet and reserved, quite the opposite to her normally talkative and rambunctious self. I squeezed through the group of sixth and seventh year males currently tossing Lysander Scamander into the air and slid in next to my cousin. "What's wrong?"

Lily lifted her head out of her hand looking quizzical, "What? Nothing's wrong. I'm just…tired. Yes, it's been a long day."

I stared at her. She frowned before jumping off the couch, taking hold of my wrist and tugging me up the stairs to her dormitory. Taking a seat on her bed, I rested my hands in my lap and nodded, ushering her to talk.

"It's this whole bloody tournament! Everyone's _so_ excited for it!"

"You're not?" My eyes followed her as she quickly paced back and forth on the hardwood floors.

"Well, yes, I-I am… but it's pointless! The house teams are the ones that are going to make it to the finals, the rest of us don't have a bloody shot! Merlin knows I love Roxanne but I can't take it that she's on Gryffindor as seeker and I'm not! You're so lucky, Rosie, and you don't even know it. People would kill to be on James's team! They know he's going to make it to the finals! There's no way he can't!"

"Lily—"

"The only team I've got is with a bunch of second string Gryffindors and Ravenclaws. Ravenclaws, Rosie! Merlin!"

"Lily, I'm sure there's another team you could join. And I'm not entirely sure if I'll play with the house team. This is my dream, Lily. I don't think I want to risk it just so I won't hurt my housemates."

"Oh, but you know you'll never leave them," she whined. "Besides what other team would we join? I'm pretty sure the Slytherins won't take us and you know those loyal pansies over in Hufflepuff won't."

"We don't need Hufflepuffs," I said smugly. "All we need is each other. And I promise you, I'm not doing this thing without you. House team or not."

Lily leaned against one of the bed posts. Lifting her pinky with a smile, she grinned, "Pinky-swear?"

I locked our pinkies together and smirked, "Pinky-swear."

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><p>"Rose!" A voice hissed at me as I felt a hard jab hit my ribcage. My eye lips flew open and I quickly raised my head to stare at the perpetrator of my pain. My best mate, Amelia Knotts, glared at me and jerked her head towards the front of the room. I shrugged my shoulders. She knew very well that I only took History of Magic to give myself a much need nap during my hectic and busy life.<p>

She scooted her chair closer to me, keeping an eye on Professor Binns. He didn't seem to have noticed because he continued to drawl on about house elves and their roles in the wizarding wars.

"Where were you during the party last night? I needed you; Thomas wouldn't leave me alone all night!"

I brushed my curly red hair behind my ear and whispered, "Lia, I'm sorry. I had to keep Hugo away from the firewhiskey before he ended up hanging off the Astronomy Tower again. And Lily was having a dilemma."

"Well, I'll forgive you but next time _you_ deal with Leo. He tried to give me a hickey!" she said angrily through her teeth. "See!" Lia pushed her blonde hair of her shoulder and tugged down on the white collar. Surely enough there was a little spot just at her collarbone.

I pushed my lips together tightly, attempting to keep my giggles from spilling out and alerting the rest of the class about my dorm-mate's unfortunate night with a drooling Quidditch player.

Lia smacked me again. "Hey!" I reacted, "Just be happy it wasn't James and his friends this time."

She blushed, "Yeah…how's he doing dealing with this whole thing."

"Better than me. He's already working on a team name. Of course, I'm sure McGonagall would never approve of Sex on Brooms."

Amelia raised her skinny eyebrow and snickered. "Sounds like James. Anyways how's Lily doing?"

I spent the rest of class explaining my cousin's problem. Once we were dismissed, the two of us collected our things and stowed them away in our bags. "Going to Potions?"

"Nah," Lia shook her head, "I only got an E, so they won't take me. I'm going to the kitchens. Missed breakfast." She grabbed her tummy and gave me a desperate look.

I rolled my eyes, "Fine. I'll guess I'll have to suffer Professor Everett's wrath all by myself!"

"Bye, Rose."

"Bye, Lia," I called over my shoulder before continuing down the corridor. I passed Landon Boot and his mates tossing a Fanged Frisbee and huge huddle of first years trying to find their way down to Hagrid's. When I climbed down the stairs on my way towards the dungeons, I heard a pompous voice not far off. "Oi! Weasley!"

I groaned, looking to my left and gritted my teeth. "What, Malfoy?"

"On your way to Potions?" He smirked, walking in step with me.

"No, I just enjoy spending my times lurking in the dark basements like a slimy Slytherin."

"Amusing, Weasley, really," Scorpius flipped his hair out of his cold grey eyes. "But it's surprising. I didn't think you had enough brains to make it to the N.E.W.T. level. I'd be careful, Red, wouldn't want to come in second. Again."

I frowned, "You may have done better than me in Potions, Malfoy, but I still kicked your arse in Transfiguration and Charms. Not to mention on the Quidditch pitch. Or did you forget?" I grinned, making his pale skin turn the slightest bit redder. "Oh, did I strike a nerve?"

"Not at all, Weasley," He raised his chin up and shook his head. Somehow he still managed to look as arrogant as ever. "Wait until the first matches begin next week, then we'll see who's better than who."

"There's no need for that, Malfoy," I looked at him over my shoulder before stepping into the half-empty classroom, "we already know I'm superior."

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><p><strong>PLEASE review... pretty please!<strong>


	3. Chapter 3

**Whoo! Chapter 3! **

**I just wanted to thank Cassie Rita Marie for reviewing! But I still want MORE reviews! I like hearing your thoughts on the story! And I want to thank everyone who added this to their favorites or to their story alerts! YAY!**

**Chapter 4 is almost finished... it's going to be much longer, maybe the longest (?) still don't know... but it involves DRAMA! Yay!**

**Soooo... enjoy!**

**Ps. If you don't know what a Manticore is (it's mentioned in the chapter) it is like a lion/human and it's pretty vicious. Wikipedia knows all.**

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><p>"Hello, Professor Everett, sorry I'm late but—"<p>

"Enough chattering, Miss Weasley."

"Yes sir."

The balding professor gestured to the only empty seats left in the room. It took all of my self-restraint not to groan. I dropped my bag beside one of the empty chairs and slid in with the Slytherin coming to join me. As Professor Everett began explaining the ingredients for the Draught of Peace, I grabbed my parchment and favorite quill. Malfoy however left his supplies tucked away. He tipped his chair back until the front two legs had lifted off the floor and proceeded to lean back, his hands cradling his white-blonde hair.

"How's James doing, Weasley? Still trying to live up to The-Daddy-Who-Never-Dies?" His lips turned up into a haughty smile.

I sighed. Not even bothering to look at the git, I said, "Yes, kind of like you, Malfoy. Though I must say, I thought living up to the already low standards of Death Eaters would be difficult for you, but it seems to me that you're managing just fine." His eyebrows rose, obviously amused at my insult. I had thought a comment like that would keep him quiet, but Malfoy never backs away without a fight. "And I never thought someone could sink lower than a filthy muggle, but, hey, look at you!"

"How dare you!" I hissed, looking away from my notes.

"Oh," Malfoy laughed, mimicking me from earlier," did I strike a nerve?"

I glared before returning back to parchment. He smirked and tilted farther back in his chair very pleased with himself. My blood began to boil and my freckled skin was turning crimson with rage. I snapped my head back towards him, "You know, maybe if you didn't have a stick up your arse, you'd have more friends that Daddy wouldn't have to buy."

"And maybe if you weren't such a prude you'd be less stressed and would quit acting like a flipping Manticore."

"Maybe I wouldn't act like a Manticore if you didn't act like a stuck-up, egotistical, self-righteous prat!"

"Mr. Malfoy, Miss Weasley, I do not tolerate talking in my class," Professor Everett admonished through his tightly clenched teeth. "Perhaps you should continue your conversation outside of the classroom."

I bit my lip, creating wrinkles on my chin and forehead, "I apologize, Professor. I'll keep quiet."

"You seem to have misunderstood, Miss Weasley," he took one pale thin finger and pointed it towards the door, "I meant that you two are dismissed from my class."

My jaw dropped and my heart beat faster. I stuttered, "Professor, c-couldn't you j-just take away p-points or give us d-detention?"

The professor turned his back towards me and started attending to the bubbling cauldron. "That would teach you nothing. Now, pack your things and leave."

I sat, dumbfounded in my seat for a few seconds. Shit. Scorpius swung his school bag over his shoulder and sauntered out of the room. How he managed to saunter at a time like this is beyond me. All the eyes in the room, with the exception of my strict teacher, were on me as I clambered to collect my belongings and walk swiftly out of the classroom before my cheeks turned any redder with embarrassment and humiliation.

Scorpius's eyes followed me from his position against a portrait containing the witch, Gunhilda of Gorsemoor. His head was tilted back against the wall, his hands were shoved in his pants pockets, and his smirk remained on his aristocratic face.

I stomped over to him and stood before him with my hands on my hips and a temper persuading me to reach for my wand and let my Weasley genes take over. "I hate you."

He laughed. Laughed! As if this was some kind of joke! "I'd say the same but right now I'm thankful that your little outburst provided me with a free period this morning."

"Clearly you don't understand the severity of the situation!" I shook my head. "We just got kicked out of our Potions class, Malfoy! We just pissed off an extremely cantankerous professor! Merlin knows if he'll even let us step foot into that room again!"

"Don't you think you're being melodramatic, Red?" He pushed of the wall with one polished black shoe and looked down at me.

I crossed my arms over my chest and my navy colored eyes glowered. "I already have enough to worry about! This tournament, my mum, my brother! I do _not_ need this right now!"

"Maybe," Malfoy leaned closer, hovering inches away from my scowling face, "it's _you_ who needs to get the stick out of their arse."

Right before I was about to burst and tell him off, he held up his hand and I held my tongue. "You honestly need to settle down. Now, I don't have any insight into what's going on with your mum or Hugo, nor would I really care to find out, but as far as Quidditch goes you're being a twat. Yes, a twat! You've got a full house team and a million cousins to help you. Me, I don't even have enough players and it won't be long before the slimy gits abandon ship and go join the damn Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs. _You_ have a shot." he took a deep breath and shook his head, "_I_ have to give up on something I worked so bloody hard for. So, stop complaining." Taking one last look at me, Malfoy clenched his strong jaw and walked further down the dungeons towards the Slytherin common room.

I stood frozen and bewildered.

Eventually I made my way into the library and found myself sitting at my favorite desk with potions books scattered about, most open to the pages discussing Draught of Peace. I may not be my mother, who treats books as if they're made of precious gold and who used to yearn for extra assignments, but I do care to keep up with my studies.

I started replicating the text onto the parchment. Thoughts of what Scorpius had said trickled in and out of my mind. Contrasting feelings kept arguing: part of me believe that what he said was complete and utter bullshite, whilst the other part thinks that there was some truth. Yes, I may have overreacted about Potions and I may have been slightly wound up regarding this whole promise to Lily. But he didn't know about that. Nor did he understand that James wasn't going to break away from his team just to play with his family. And I couldn't see Louis or Lucy step away from their respective houses either.

I threw down my quill and tangled my fingers into my unruly tresses and grunted. A few younger students lifted their noses out of their dusty books and stared at me.

They didn't know how lucky they were. Back in first year the only things I had to worry about was dueling Scorpius in marks and making friends who could look past my family's celebrity status. Nowadays I had mountains of work, prefect duties, laboring Quidditch practices, and the need to dodge unwanted advances from the opposite sex. Oh, and let's not disregard a certain pointed-faced weasel who just loves to see me squirm.

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><p>That night I lounged on my bed with Lily at my feet. The both of us were listening to Lia rant about the guys in seventh year. Mainly it was about how Leo wouldn't leave her alone, but occasionally she mentioned Fred and James's brilliant and slightly annoying start of the year pranks.<p>

"He followed me into the bathroom! He swears it was a mistake, saying that he was distracted or something," Lia said exasperated before ripping open and sinking her pearl white teeth into a chocolate frog.

Lily popped a handful of green jelly beans into her mouth before adding her two cents. "Bet he was preoccupied by your bum."

"You do shorten your skirt," I nodded.

"And wiggle."

"Merlin!" Lia yelped. She contorted her face into one of disgust and revulsion. "The perverted wanker!"

"You could always tell him you're not interested," Lily suggested, twirling a licorice wand.

Lia huffed, "You don't think I've tried that! It's like Scorpius with Rose; he just never leaves me alone!"

"Yeah, but Malfoy just likes to infuriate me. Leo actually wants to shag you."

"Please," Lily scoffed, "there is definitely some sexual tension hidden in that rivalry of yours."

"Yes, cause every time he insults my family I want to shove him in a broom closet and have it off with him," I said sarcastically. "Please, he may be fit but he's a complete and total prat."

"Yeah, but his muscles," Lily sighed dreamily falling back onto my legs.

Lia rolled her eyes, "You don't have classes with him, Lily. You don't understand how much of a pretentious git he can be."

"I swear every time he opens his mouth I want to use an Unforgivable Curse," I laughed.

"But if I used a Silencing Charm—"

"Lily!" Lia gasped as I smack my younger cousin with a pillow. "How could you think about that?" The two of us shook at the thought of doing anything sexual with a Slytherin like Malfoy.

"I'm just saying that—"

"Lily," I said using a serious tone of voice, "you have plenty of blokes chasing your tail. You don't need to be thinking dirty thoughts about Malfoy. Or any Slytherin for that matter."

Eating more lime jelly beans, Lily groaned, "But bad boys are just so… intoxicating!"

"Oh, shut your trap and eat some Droobles."

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><p><strong>Like? Love? Hate? Whatever it is you should still review!<strong>

**Chapter 4 coming soon to a fanfiction near you!**


	4. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER 4! YAY! Kinda short, but hey I've written shorter and this chapter started the drama. Finally...  
><strong>

**Next chapter will be longer! Promise. But only if you guys review! Since you guys don't review I feel like you don't like the story and I'm wondering if I should even continue...**

**REVIEW! And ENJOY!**

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><p>Most of the next day was spent in a sugar-induced coma. Others might say that I had had one too many candies last night, but I'd like to think that a girl could never have too many Chocolate Frogs. By they time I got through my day and made it to dinner, my grogginess had worn off, but for some reason I couldn't stand the sight of the treacle tart.<p>

"Rose," Lily mumbled through her mouthful of mince pie, "What's got your knickers in a twist? Don't recall ever seeing you turn down dessert." She stuffed her face with another forkful and raised her eyebrows.

"Well, it better not be nerves! I need my star chaser to help reel in that contract," James laughed, nudging my in the side. "Oh, which reminds me, we have practice tomorrow on the pitch. Seven o'clock sharp!"

"James—"

"—and I don't mean in the locker room by seven. I mean suited up and ready to get your arse in gear."

"James—"

"—I can't lose this. And that means that you and all of the other players, family or not, are going to be putting a hundred percent into this. Any less than that and we might as well hand it over to those wankers over at Slytherin. And I will not let some Death-Eaters-in-training steal what…"

I sighed. Deciding that sitting there and nodding was probably my best option because once you get James started it is almost impossible to get him to stop. Unless it involves a girl. Or the possible chance at corrupting the Hogwarts youth.

Across from me, Lily was slouched and wearing a prominent frown. Her chocolate eyes appeared to be shooting daggers my way. "What happened to our deal," she hissed.

"I'm sorry. I haven't told him," I mouthed and gestured towards James who continued his ongoing babble.

"—and do you think Bilderfudd will want us in regulation Quidditch robes? Or do you assume he'll just be expecting us to wander onto the pitch with trousers and knit sweaters?"

She glowered at me and before polishing off the last of her meal whispered, "You have to talk to him."

I nodded, knowing what I had to do and knowing that it was the last thing I wanted to do.

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><p>I rummaged around in my cluttered trunk, sorting through my clothes and shoes in hopes of finding my Quidditch gloves. It was already quarter 'til and if I was late James was going to have my head. Slumping onto my knees, I let out a groan and slammed my trunk closed.<p>

"Looking for these?"

My eyes drifted away from mess I had produced on the floor and towards a smirking Lily, who dangled a pair of gloves in her outstretched hand. "Thank you," I sighed while picking myself off the ground and reaching out, only to have my Quidditch gear pulled back. "Lily," I whined, "I need them. Your brother is going to have a heart attack if I show up even a second late."

My cousin simply gave me a curious look. "Are you going to tell him?"

"Yes."

"What are you going to say?"

"Don't worry, I have a plan," I lied. Honestly, I had no clue how to go about this. Hell, I didn't even know what I was really supposed to tell him. Should I walk onto the Quidditch pitch and politely ask that Lily be on the team? Or do I stomp on and demand it? Of course if I did that he'd probably get livid and kick me off the team. But that brings about the problem of which team to join, if there was even a team willing to let both of us on. At this point I was just going to have to go with my gut. "Now, can I go before I'm late?"

Lily smiled and lowered the brown gloves, "You may go."

"Thank you," I snatched all my gear before zooming out of the common room and winding my way through the hallways to make it onto the Quidditch pitch.

One look outside and I was ready to abandon the plan and just skive off of practice. It was bad enough that James was making me sacrifice my night, but to have to perform in the rain was torture. And we're not talking having to sit through History of Magic torture; we're talking about Cruciatus Curse torture.

I sprinted down the path towards the pitch getting soaked by the millions of raindrops hitting me before I managed to find the team.

It wasn't surprising that they were already flying around, considering I was a few minutes late and James was not one to delay practice. I could barely make him out as he came down through the air and landed a short distance away.

"You're late," he glared through his goggles as he gripped tight onto his Nimbus 8000, causing his knuckles to turn white. From his posture to the murderous look gleaming in his green eyes, everything about him was intimidating.

I nodded, "I know and I'm sorry. But James, there's something I really need to talk to you about."

"Not now. Get on your broom and start doing drills."

"James, it's important and it really can't wait."

"No, Rose! I'm the captain and I'm not asking you, I'm telling you!"

"But it's about the tournament!" I argued.

"_This_," he gestured towards Finnigan and Thomas tossing the quaffle and Roxanne doing drills, "is about the tournament! Now, stop bickering and get your bloody arse on your broom and get up there before I make you run laps!"

"No." I crossed my arms and mirrored my cousin's glare. I tried to stand my ground but the task was difficult considering I was shaking and my nerves seemed to be attacking me like a crowd of pixies.

"Rose! Now!"

"No!" I clenched my jaw and felt the anger start to build up. "This is about my status on your team! Before, I was going to talk to you about Lily! Do you even care that your sister is dying to be the house team? Do you know that she wants this more than you do? No!" I stepped closer to James and thumped him on his chest, "Because you only care about your bloody self! You don't care that your sister, _your own sister_, has been coming to me and begging me to talk to you!"

"Rose—"

"I'm not finished!" By now the whole team had forgotten their practice and was staring at me, mouth agape. "I quit!"

Shouts of protest were coming out of my teammates, but my cousin remained silent. He may not have been saying anything but his eyes told me everything. He was shocked, he was furious, and he'd never forgive me. Not in a million years.

I took at step backwards and glowered. "Good luck finding a chaser. Lily and I will see you at the competition." And with that I straddled my broom and flew as far away from the pitch as possible.

I didn't leave my room that night. It didn't matter how many times Roxanne or Kira Wilkins knocked on the wooden door to change my mind or even try and figure out what the hell was going on in this crazy messed-up head of mine; I wasn't crawling out of bed. The only people I did allow were my dorm mates and Lily. The other three knew not to mess with me when I was in one of my "moods", especially Lia, but Lily asked questions anyway. I couldn't blame her. This all involved her anyway and I had lost us both the chance at being on the house team.

No matter what James said to me though, I knew I couldn't go back. I had quit on my team days before the competition started and I had yelled and insulted the captain. And when the captain is your cousin it makes the matters worse. It makes everything personal.

Lia walked out of the bathroom with her hair plaited and her pyjamas on. She yawned before pulling the covers down on her bed. "Rose, get some sleep. Staying up staring at the ceiling isn't going to change what you said or did." Lia offered me a small smile before sliding under the sheets and laying her blonde locks on the scarlet pillowcase. "Besides, not everyone is disappointed. You still have me and Lily. We'll have your back, no matter what."

"Maybe you're right," I sighed and shifted my head to the side, "but this is my family. So much for being an ideal daughter, now I'm going to the black sheep. The one that turned on her family." My lip quivered as I finally let out the truth that has been haunting my thoughts since my outburst.

"Rose, you can't possibly think that's true?" Lia raised herself and rested onto her elbow shooting me a concerned look through her sleepy ice blue eyes.

"Think it? I know it."

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><p><strong><em><span>REVIEW!<span>_** **seriously... I need reviews! Only having one really makes me sad and uninspired to write...**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5! What's good!  
>Thanks to everyone who added this to your favoritesalerts and OMG a HUGE BEAR HUG to everyone who review! I love you guys!**

**This chapter is longer (as promised)... it has more drama (as promised)... and it has Scorpius! (not as promised but you knew it was coming!)**

**Hopefully you like it! ENJOY!**

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><p>In the background of my dormitory I could hear the hustle and bustle of the girls racing to grab their uniforms and a chance to steal the mirror in order to cast some unnecessary beauty charms. I moaned into my pillow, my eyelids still shutting out the morning light daring to creep in. In hopes of gaining even an extra moment of sleep I pulled the covers up over my head and snuggled into the darkness of my sheets.<p>

"Erin! Have you seen my jumper?"

I glared murderously at my roommates under my blanket before grabbing my pillow and shoving in onto my head and over my ears. Today is already going to be bloody awful; you think my friends would understand my need for rest. And quiet.

"Did you check under your bed? That's where it was last time!"

Apparently quiet is out of the question.

"Rose!" A pair of hands reached out and tugged the warmth away and revealed the disorganized chaos that is our dorm. "Rose! Get up! We already let you sleep through breakfast! We are not letting you miss Care of Magical Creatures and I do _not_ want to trudge all the way down to the forest by myself!"

And I guess rest wasn't an option either. I mumbled nonsense as I slowly climbed out of bed and into the maze of scattered knickers and lone pairs of trousers. "You know," I said to Lia as I stripped off my bottoms and wiggled my way into my uniform barely awake, "sleep makes everything better and you took that away from me."

Lia rolled her eyes, "You'll live."

She snatched up my top and tossed at me. I glared through my tired eyes and continued my quest on getting ready. "I may live but I'll suffer through it. You know today is going to be full of non-stop glares and questions. Not to mention about a billion lectures from my cousins." I turned towards Lia, who was currently adjusting her tie for what seemed like the umpteenth time, and dragged my hairbrush through my messy head of curls. "I'm surprised I haven't received a howler from my father yet! You know the second he finds out about this whole situation he'll be on my arse faster than I can even say Quidditch! He'll probably have me kicked straight out of the flipping family!"

Lia stopped fiddling with her tie and gave me an exasperated look. "You're being such a drama queen!"

"No!" I protested whilst I finished buttoning my white button up. "My family is going to give me hell for this! _And_ I don't even have a bloody team to compete with! There goes my dream!" I stomped over to my dresser and threw my cloak over my shoulders. Grabbing my books, I headed out of the room with my best mate in tow.

Lia and I walked in silence through the corridors. We could see the rest of our classmates climbing the steps down to the hut. I knew that due to my heavy sleeping and refusal to greet the sun that both of us were going to be late to our class. Not the Hagrid would really mind or notice. Usually the first five minutes of our lessons this year he'd spent trying to wrangle all of the Bowtruckles together.

"Weasley!"

If this morning wasn't already bad enough now I had to deal with the biggest flipping prat in all of Hogwarts. I glanced over at Lia and gestured for her to continue without me. "What?" I spat spinning on my heel to face that ever-present smirk.

"Are you always this bitter? Or does it just arise whenever I'm in your presence?" He sauntered down the few steps separating us. His left hand was shoved into his pants pocket and his right was clutching his copy of _The Monster Book of Monsters_. I was beginning to think that his arrogance was permanent.

"Would you just get to the point? I would prefer to get to my lesson before it's over."

"Only because you asked so nicely," he replied sarcastically. "I heard about what you did on the pitch the other night. And I must say that I'm impressed."

"Impressed?" My eyes widened in surprise. It's not everyday I get a compliment, or something close to one, from Malfoy. "Of what? Completely ruining my chances at ever winning this sodding competition?"

"No," Scorpius smirked as he looked down at me as we slowly followed the path, "of your Slytherin-ness. I never took you as the type of person to abandon your team, especially when it involves your family."

"Well, obviously you overlooked fact that I didn't only do it for myself. I did it for Lily too."

"Even better."

I stopped. "Excuse me?" I asked utterly dumbfounded.

His smirk grew wider, as did his confidence. Malfoy swaggered over to me, giving me only about an inch of breathing room. "Let's just say I have a plan."

"And?" I crossed my arms and stared angrily into his cloudy grey eyes, questioning his scheme.

"Meet me in the Transfiguration classroom tonight at around eleven. Bring Lily with you."

My feet stayed glued to the dirt path as I watched Scorpius turn to continue on his way to the forest. I wasn't quite sure how to respond. The bane of my existence has an idea and not only does it involve me. It might also involve my future. My life is heading in a downward spiral, I can feel it.

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><p>After Transfiguration that day I had a free period, one that I spent hiding away in my favorite place. It was a seat up on the sixth floor that was perched in front of a massive window overlooking the grounds, affording me a fantastic view and the occasional ability to scout out my fellow students.<p>

I reclined on the golden colored sofa and snatched my homework assignment Hagrid had assigned. It wasn't much, just a few chapters about the care for Bowtruckles. In all honesty, I couldn't give a shit about what these blimey creatures have to eat or how often they need to spend sleeping. Nor could I manage to give my reading a second of my time, what with my life becoming similar to one of those muggle soap operas.

I'd already landed the role as the backstabbing bitch and it would be sooner or later that I'd end up having an affair or committing a deplorable felony. I could only hope that this was my evil twin controlling my life and not the real me. I'd rather not believe that I'm the person ruining my relationship with my family.

Outside I could see James and a gaggle of his friends flinging a Fanged Frisbee on the grassy lawn. Hugo and Albus were stretched out underneath the shade of a birch tree with Lucy at there feet, most likely hexing people from afar. I knew I'd be right there next to Al. We'd be laughing about Hugo's many failed attempts at asking Lia to Hogsmeade.

But I wasn't.

"James is really pissed off with you, you know." I turned my head. Roxanne placed herself against the wall, head slumped against the stone. Her face was blank and her eyes didn't dare look into mine. You'd think she was afraid that one look would give her a social disease. "I'm pretty pissed too."

I bit my lip, nodding my head and whispering, "I know."

"It's not so much that you left. It's that you were so ready to boot my off the team." Roxanne remained stone-faced, determined not to let her emotions seep through. "I know she's family… but I'm family too. You know, you were always one of my favorite cousins. You were smart, funny, and never let anyone get to you. And getting the chance to play on the house team with you was… it meant a lot. You were my role model. Whether you liked it or not, I looked up to you." She sighed, finally letting her chocolate eyes lift off the cold floor. Her face may have been blank but her eyes showed how disappointed she was in me. "That day on the pitch… killed me. James went through with the practice, running drills, making our bodies ache. I don't think it hurt as much as my heart. You picked her. You _always_ pick her."

Tears began slipping down both of our cheeks. A lump clogged my throat and guilt started weighing me down. "Rox, I didn't… I-I didn't—"

Roxanne stopped. Her hair flipped over her shoulder as she twisted her head towards me, pieces of it still covering her tear-stained cheek. "Save it… I just hope you get what you wanted Rose. I hope this was all worth it."

My heart dropped. Tears started spilling out of my eyes and my shoulders shook violently as I sobbed. Slowly, I made my way towards the window before cradling my knees, wishing that I could steal a time turner and amend everything I had managed to screw up so badly.

Everything was wrong. And everything hurt.

* * *

><p>"Get off your moping arse so we can get going!"<p>

"Are you serious? You actually want to go see what he wants from us? Have you lost your bloody mind?"

"Well," Lily sighed, "I don't see any other option!"

I slumped into my favorite armchair next to the fireplace in the Gryffindor common room. Frustrated and upset, I ran my fingers through my mane of hair and groaned, "So, you want us to go and put all our trust in this wanker's scheme?"

"Rose, I know you're troubled with what happened with Roxanne but you don't need to drag your bitterness into whatever this thing with Scorpius is about. We don't even now what he wants and we could at least give him a chance!" Lily sat on the foot stool in front of me and stared me down with her intense green eyes. Only she and her brother could stop me mid-rant with just a look. It was a magic trait that I think even Voldemort would have lacked. "What happened to being a Gryffindor?"

"I'm still a Gryffindor…" I mumbled.

"Really? She scoffed, thumping me hard on the chest. "Because a Gryffindor wouldn't be moping in her common room because of a stupid prat. And she wouldn't be _scared_ to give something a try."

"I hate it when you're right."

"Eh," Lily smiled scrunching her nose and standing up, "you'll get over it. Now let's get our bums in gear and go meet the King of the Prats." My cousin extended her hand and hoisted me onto my white trainer clad feet. "You're really going dressed like that?"

I frowned and crossed my arms as Lily looked me up and down, disapproval written all over her face. "It's not like we're going to a ball! We're just going to an empty classroom! I think jeans and a t-shirt will suffice."

"Ugh!" Lily threw her head back and let out a noise only a hippogriff could muster. "But you need to look sexy!"

"Sexy?" I raised my eyebrows. "What in Merlin's name are you going on about?"

Lily nodded her head, "Yes, sexy! How else is he going to realize you're a saucy little minx and ravish you in the broom closet after our little chat?"

"Lily!" I gasped. My jaw hung open in surprise and disgust as I turned my back away from my insane cousin.

"I'm only trying to diffuse the sexual tension! Now come on, we're going to be late," Lily explained, seeing no fault in her opinion.

After being dragged down the corridor reluctantly by my determined cousin, we had finally managed to get to the abandoned classroom with about three minutes to spare. To say I was surprised that Malfoy hadn't shown yet would be a lie. After five years of classes with him it was a known fact that Scorpius truly believed that it was proper to arrive fashionably late and he wasn't about to break that streak now. Sodding git.

Lily seemed to be perfectly content lying on the desk, staring at the designs on the ceiling whilst fingering her necklace. She bopped her head humming a Weird Sister's song, which thanks to her would be stuck playing repeatedly in my mind.

I fluttered my lips and leaned back onto my hands. "So…"

"Calm, Rose. Don't get your knickers in a twist just because he's like two seconds late."

"Excuse me! But I don't think—"

I paused at the sound of the door creaking open and a pair of feet carefully stepping into the room. Instead of the expected face of Scorpius, the features of Michael Rennison appeared sticking his nose through the doorway and peering in at us. "Michael?"

His brow furrowed and his body stiffened in shock. "Rose? Lily? What's going on? I-I was supposed to meet Scorpius here."

"So were we," Lily piped clearly unaffected by the arrival of a random Ravenclaw.

"Is he roping you into his evil plan too?"

"I wouldn't call it evil, Weasley. Genius, maybe, but never evil," Malfoy trotted past the dazed boy with two of his cronies lagging behind him and his abnormally large ego.

"I'd never use the term genius when talking about you. But regardless of your lack of intelligence could we please get to the point as to why you've dragged us out past curfew."

Scorpius let out a small laugh and strutted towards the head of the room. "Well, if you take a seat, I'll get started."

I took a few steps back, climbed atop the desk, and raised my eyebrows. "Happy now?"

Scorpius rolled his eyes and decided not to comment on my antics. "As all of you know deadlines for team signups are tomorrow and if I'm correct, you're all without a team."

"Do you enjoy pouring salt in our wounds?"

"Well," Scorpius continued, ignoring me, "that's where we come in." He gestured towards his two mates from Slytherin. "After last year's Quidditch Cup win, Slytherin is down a chaser and a beater. And thanks—"

"Thanks to thatnancywanker, Higgs, we're down a bloody seeker!" Zelus Warrington moaned. "Stupid git worrying about his N.E.W.T.s. Such rubbish."

Malfoy glowered atWarrington, "Back to the point." He turned his attention towards the rest of us, "It seems that you need us."

"And _you_ need us," Lily smiled devilishly back at him cocking her head to the side.

"Whichever way _you_ want to think of it, if we manage to toss aside these damn prejudices and learn not to murder each other I believe that we could form a would stay on as keeper and Lily would take Higgs' place as seeker. Rennison and Nott would fill the spaces as beaters and Weasley and I would be chasers. Course that still means we're down a chaser."

"I thought Lucy was your guys' chaser?"

Nott nodded, "So did we mate, so did we."

"What are you saying?" I questioned. "That Lucy dropped Quidditch? That doesn't sound anything like her. She loves it too much."

"That's where you step in, Red. I need you to talk to her and get her to commit."

I hopped off the desk and stepped in front of Scorpius. "Is Scorpius Malfoy asking me for a favor?" I grinned mockingly up at him. "Has the world ended? Are we in a post-apocalyptic world?"

"Don't be fresh, Weasley," Scorpius bit back at me. He lowered his face down towards mine until his eyes were almost level with my own. "We don't need to make things difficult. Personally I'd rather not have to battle with you on the pitch. I'd much rather work _with_ you to kick your cousin's arse."

"And why's that, Malfoy?" I spat, my words carrying venom.

"Let's just say," he whispered, letting his lips move slowly and softly as they ghosted his words, "it's personal."

Lily skipped next to me and lowered her mouth to my ear. "Sexual tension!" She said in a sing-song voice.

I whipped my head towards her a scowled. "Really?"

"Really?" I shivered as Scorpius's breath tickled the back of my neck.

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><p><strong>Review... please?<strong>

******Next chapter will be up sometime within the next week... though no promises. **

**And it will involve some family bickering, a little persuasion, and maybe (MAYBE!) some more Scorpius action! It has yet to be decided because it has yet to be written!**


	6. Chapter 6

**CHAPTER 6! **

**This chapter was...different... from what I had expected to write. Actually, I had no idea where most of it came from... but I like it!**

**Thank you guys for reading! Chapter 7 _might_ be up soon... but my boarding school starts next week, I have a wedding to go to, and I still have to do my summer reading... so MAYBE.**

**And I'll stop blabbering on and let you read... ENJOY!**

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><p>I stood in the center of the pitch letting the cool breeze whip my hair every which way. Though it was only September, I had opted to wear one of the knit sweaters Grandma Weasley had knit me for Christmas because at this time of morning the sun wouldn't be up high enough to warm the air. Why I was out at six o'clock in the morning with my broom and a quaffle, standing on the muddy lawn, was beyond me. To clear me head, maybe. Most likely it was because I did not fancy running into my multitude of family members. Knowing my family genes none of them would crawl out of bed until seven, at the earliest. So I was safe.<p>

Grabbing the quaffle at my feet, I zoomed off the pitch on my Thunderbolt. Once in line with the goalposts, I tossed the ball into the air and smacked it away with the tail-end of my broom.

For what seemed life ages, I persisted to hit the quaffle, each time striking it with more force. The harder I hit it, the better I felt. It was like each smack given to the leather-covered ball would lighten the pressure that seemed to be building up onto my shoulders.

The first blow was for quitting when everyone needed me. The next was for teaming up with Malfoy, the family nemesis. The four hits after that were for Roxanne: One for letting her down, another for making her cry and two for being such a rubbish cousin.

And the last one, the one that I sent soaring straight through the center hoop, was for what I was expecting to come next. Letters from mum and a howler from dad, fights in the common room, months of receiving the cold shoulder, and a massive amount of evenings spent alone.

My trainers touched down on the grass and I strolled over towards to the locker rooms where the broom shed was located. To my surprise the door was wide open and I could hear someone shuffling about.

"Hello?" I called out, peeking my head through the doorframe.

"Rose?" Lucy stepped out of the shadows and into the strip of sunlight. Her dark mahogany hair was lifted off her neck and into a ponytail at the top of her head. She, unlike me, was dressed in much lighter clothes. Obviously she was accustomed to the chilly air of the dungeons and was unaffected by the winds that had started to pick up. "What are _you_ doing out of bed? Seems terribly unlike you."

"I needed to clear my head…" I admitted. "But what about you. Do you normally wake up at this ungodly hour?"

Lucy nodded, "Yeah, though today I've had a bit of a late start. Normally I'd be out here by six at the latest."

I laughed, "You're definitely different from the rest of the family. The rest of us are off snoring in our beds while you're here…awake!"

"Yeah," Lucy smirked, stepping out of the shed and onto the pitch. "I've definitely earned my spot as the black sheep of the family."

"In a good way though."

"A Weasley who's in Slytherin, friends with children of Death Eaters, actually likes Divination… yeah, I s'pose I am quite different. You have my father to thank for that."

I wrinkled my nose and quirked my eyebrow. "Why?"

Lucy leaned against her racing broom handle and sighed. "When your father is the Minister of Magic and he's got a rule-abiding, book-loving, perfect daughter like Molly, you get sick of trying to be better than her."

"And you start being different?"

Lucy nodded her head yes and grinned mischievously. "Though being unusual is a lot more fun than being perfect. At least this way I get to drink firewhiskey and pull some pretty brilliant pranks."

"Got to say I was in hysterics when you made Malfoy's cauldron explode in his face!"

"Please don't mention Malfoy," Lucy groaned.

"Is this about his plan for the tournament?"

Lucy looked taken aback. "H-how do you know about that?"

"Guess who got dragged into his scheme?" I rocked back onto my heels pointing at myself. Lucy crossed her arms, well as best she could with her GoldenArrow still clutched in her hand. "Don't give me that look! It was either join him or stand with everyone else watching James win the contract. And you know I couldn't do that."

"Yeah, I know. But lemme guess. He wants you to persuade me to join the team? I'm right aren't I?" I didn't have to respond, the guilty look on my face told her exactly what he wanted. "The answer's no."

"Why?" I cried out.

"Because!" She stomped.

"Because why?" I asked, gripping onto both her shoulders. "Do you want to quit? By the look of your broom, that's not an option! Why?"

Lucy took a breath. "Because of Warrington."

"What does he have to do with this?" I questioned, dropping my hands to my sides and taking a stride back.

"He's an arse. And he hurt me, more than I'd care to admit."

"What did he do?" I asked incredibly concerned.

"Well, you know we were dating last year, right? Turns out he wasn't all that faithful. He had to go out and shag Atalia Higgs. Multiple times at that!"

My jaw dropped, "Merlin…"

"Yeah," Lucy agreed. "This is why I can't be on the same team with him. Hell, I can barely share the common room with the prat!"

"Lucy, I had no idea."

She shrugged, "I'll get over it. Just don't tell me I have to join."

"You don't have to," I agreed. "But you should."

Lucy froze. She looked at me with her coffee colored eyes as if I belonged in St. Mungo's.

"Listen. If you don't face this how are things going to get better?"

"Earth to Rose! I'm not a Gryffindor! I can't put on a brave face and deal with this as easily as you lions could!"

"Well then act like a Slytherin!" I argued. "Do this for _you_! Forget about the rest of us, don't do it for the team! Do it for yourself!"

Silence.

Lucy shuffled her feet around on the dewy grass. "For me?"

I nodded, "Yeah."

"Tell Scorpius he's got a chaser."

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><p>After running swiftly up to my dormitory after my chat with Lucy, I had hopped into the shower and changed out of my dirt covered clothes and into my uniform. Lily had dragging me out the portrait hole before I even had the chance to do my tie.<p>

"Honestly Lily! Couldn't you have waited a minute for me to get ready?"

Lily's piercing green eyes narrowed at me. "Well, maybe if you had told me where the bloody hell you went this morning! I had to get ready all by myself!"

I rolled my eyes. I love Lily to bits but truthfully she was the biggest drama queen I'd ever met. Dominique came quite close though. "Lily, I just went out to clear my head. Besides," I shrugged, "had I not gone out I wouldn't have persuaded Lucy into joining the team."

"You what?"

"You can thank me now," I smiled as we shuffled down the staircases.

Lily's mouth was wide open in surprise. "I love you!" I laughed causing her to eye my skeptically. "What? It's the truth! I mean I owe you everything, Rose!"

"No!" I shook my head.

"Really?" Lily smirked. "Because last time I checked, ditching your team to work with your mortal enemy all for your boy-crazy, effervescent cousin is a big deal!"

"It's not that big of a deal."

"Can't you just 'You're welcome' and be done with it?"

"Fine. You're welcome."

Lily nodded, very pleased with that fact that I followed through with her orders. Though we both know the only reason I obeyed was because if I hadn't she'd have been bugging me about it for the rest of the week. Maybe even my whole life.

"Now where are we going to sit?"

I scrunched my eyebrows and looked pointedly at Lily. "I thought you knew!"

"No," Lily shook her head. "I've been sitting with a few of my Ravenclaw friends. But we can't sit with them because they're annoyed with me."

"Why do you think that?"

"They said I was annoying them," Lily shrugged and turned to look towards the cluster of Ravenclaws working on their essays scribbled down on long rolls of parchment. One lifted their gaze away from their assignment and saw Lily and me standing at the entrance of the Great Hall. Her eyes went wide and she quickly whispered to her fellow housemates, who hustled to spread out giving us no place left to sit down. "Haven't you been to meals?"

"I've just been so busy," I lied. Actually I had been afraid of choosing where to sit. Sure, I had friends in other houses to sit with, but the chance of running into James still existed. So, instead I spent my meals in my dorm with my stock of Honeydukes sweets or sneaking out later in the evening to go to the kitchens. I was becoming quite the regular and the house elves always waited for me with a large mug of hot chocolate.

"There's always the Slytherins."

"Are you crazy?" I whisper yelled. "We're already the rebel Gryffindors! Do you want to make us complete pariahs?"

"How would that make us piranhas?"

I looked at Lily stunned by the words that had just come out of her mouth. "You need to spend more time in the library and less time in the broom cupboards."

"Whatever," She waved off my comment. "Look, it's either glares sitting with Roxanne, Hugo and James or it's a few strange looks sitting with Lucy and Malfoy. Which do _you _prefer?"

"Right, so the Slytherins?"

"I'm right behind you," Lily smiled sweetly before pushing me forward towards the left side of the hall.

Slowly I inched my way away from the archway of the colossal wooden doors and in the direction of Scorpius and his cronies. Each step we took Lily and I seemed to be collecting more and more pairs of eyes. I resisted the temptation to see what my family was doing as I stood next Lucy. "Could we… I mean would it be alright if we ate with you?"

Lucy nodded, not taking her eyes off her plateful of scrambled eggs as she scooped up a bit with her fork. "You know," she mumbled in between bites, "that you're risking social suicide sitting with us Death-Eaters-in-training."

"Not to mention the gossip," Scorpius drawled. He leaned his elbows onto the table and smirked at me. Pieces of his white-blonde hair hung in front of his eyes and his sleeves were rolled up showing off his defined, muscular arms. I inwardly cursed him for managing to look attractive at this time of day and Lily for not letting me escape her grasp long enough to make my hair not resemble an electrified clown. "I can already hear the rumors spreading about how Weasley finally realized her undying love for me."

"Believe it or not, not every girl in this school wants to shag you," I sighed bitterly as I piled pancakes onto my plate.

"No," Scorpius replied smugly, "just the vast majority."

"You sicken me."

"Get used to it, Red. I am your captain after all."

I dropped my fork and glared across the table, "What?"

"I'm the captain."

"Since when?"

"Since Higgs left the team. I was going to receive the honor next year after he left, so it's only right that I take his place."

"I was going to be appointed captain next year for Gryffindor! What about me?"

Scorpius leaned forward. "If you haven't noticed, this was the Slytherin team. You're precious Gryffindors are over there," he gestured towards the other side of the hall. "You're on _my_ team now."

"Without the Gryffindors you wouldn't have a full team," I fought back.

"Well, without us you wouldn't even have a team."

"Neither would you!"

"Oh, shut it!" Lucy slammed her cup of pumpkin juice on the table, splashing the two of us with orange droplets. "You can both be the bloody captains! Now shut your traps and eat your flipping breakfast before I rethink this whole thing. Okay?"

Scorpius and I nodded, slowly sinking back into our seats.

"Is that your natural hair color," Lily giggled at Nott as she twirled one of her strawberry locks around her finger. Leave it to Lily to flirt before the owl post even arrived.

"Lily," I hissed, "keep it in your pants!"

"What? I've never snogged a Slytherin before and I'd like to leave Hogwarts with a perfect record."

"You sound like Professor Slughorn."

"Who?" Lily cocked her head to the side.

"The old man that shows up at our Christmas party smelling like sherry and pineapples. He tends to hover around our parents."

"Oh," Lily gasped in realization, "the people-collector? I'm nothing like him!"

"Really? Well, excuse me Miss I-must-snog-a-boy-from-every-house," I teased.

Lily huffed, "Whatever."

"Ow!" I yelped, feeling my side ache in pain after my _lovely_ cousin, Lucy, jabbed me with her bony elbow. "What the bloody hell was that for? Merlin!" Reaching down I lifted the hem of my shirt to examine my ribcage. "Brilliant, Lucy! Now I'm going to bruise!"

"Rose," Lucy hissed through her clench teeth. "Look!" She titled her head in the direction of the far end of the hall.

I raised my eyes. For a moment I thought I was going to faint. Walking in the direction of the table was James with the entire Gryffindor Quidditch team and my replacement, Alice Longbottom, following suit. The looks in their eyes told me that they were prepared to fight. And the rapid beating of my heart and the nervous sweat wetting my brow was telling me that I was prepared for them to _Avada_ me on the spot.

"So," James glared at me, "the rumors are true."

"What are you talking about, Jamesie?" Lily jeered.

Kira Wilkins smiled maliciously with her devil horns visibly sprouting out of her blonde pigtails. "I think you know _exactly _what he's referring to," her scowl making her face as repulsive as her attitude. "Maybe you're just trying to fool everyone, but give it up because we all know you and Lily have teamed up the Death Eaters."

"Excuse me!" Nott stood up suddenly and slammed his fist down on the table with anger. "For your information people make mistakes! My family made theirs during the war and they've moved on! Your mistake was not letting old prejudices die! And for letting these two," Nott motioned towards Lily and I, "brilliant athletes go!"

"Guess your loss is their gain," I smirked.

Leo smirked back, "I think we'll live."

"Besides," Kira snickered, "joining _them_ doesn't make you any better. It's not like you have a chance anyway. You're a team full of rejects and in all honesty, you're not going to make it past the first round."

"Why don't we test that on the pitch instead of here where you're just making an arse out of yourselves," Scorpius snapped, staring daggers at my male cousin.

"Better than making ourselves look like a bunch of fools," James said pointedly. "Must I remind you, Malfoy, about what happened in fourth year?"

Scorpius's jaw tightened and his cold grey eyes grew even icier. He slid off the bench and stood before my arrogant, brown-haired cousin. "It's just like you, Potter, to be living in the past."

"And what's that supposed to mean?"

"I'm just saying," Malfoy took a step closer to James, his arms crossed and his head held high with pride, "that daddy's fame can't always get you what you want."

"At least my father was a hero."

"My father _was_ a hero! He may not have vanquished the Dark Lord but he tried his best to keep his family safe! He hurt his reputation to keep them alive!"

"Yeah?" James fought. "I thought he just a bloody coward!"

"A coward? Is that what you think?" Scorpius fumed with anger, his pale complexion was slowly growing redder and redder. "I'd like to see you live up to your namesake!"

"I am!"

"You definitely have the harassment part down!"

"They were great men! Don't you dare try and insult them!" James looked ready to hex Scorpius and Scorpius looked ready to lunge at James and teach him a lesson with his fists. "Besides they died doing what's right! Neither of them has evil tattooed on their forearms!"

"Neither do I! But at least I'm not bloody wanker who doesn't know how to forgive and forget! Maybe you should pull that stick our your—"

"Enough!"

All eyes on the Great Hall snapped away from the bickering boys and towards me. Slowly I rose from my seat and over towards Scorpius. "This isn't a conversation to be had in front of our peers. James, take your gang and go back to the Gryffindor table. I'm fine here. Actually," I smiled, "I rather enjoy it. So, if you don't mind, I'd like to get back to my breakfast."

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><p><strong>Good? Review worthy? <strong>

Bonus points if you guys can guess why I had Slughorn smell like pineapples...

**And a question. Are the chapters a good length?**


	7. Chapter 7

**So... I'm a terrible person. It's okay you can agree with me. Not updating for this long is a problem. But! I promise it won't happen (this bad) again. I've gotten through I road block... basically I needed to write a filler chapter but I didn't know what on... but it's done! complete! finished! Yay! We can rejoice! And give reviews?**

**Anyway. This is chapter 7... enjoy!**

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><p>"Rennison! You're late!" Scorpius bellowed.<p>

"Sorry," the awkward boy said as he managing to stumble on the tail of his Quidditch robes. "It's just that—"

"I don't care for you're excuses! All I want is for you to be on that pitch on time!"

I rolled my eyes. Honestly, the boy thinks it's a life or death situation if his beater is a minute late. I worry for his sanity sometimes. Well, never actually, but his mind should definitely be looked at. Something weird is happening in that ferret brain of his and it needs to be figured out before his ego swells further and explodes. "I'm sure you had a perfectly good explanation as to—"

"Explanations won't cut it! We are up against some serious competition that could change our future and you want to stay late at Herbology to discuss mandrakes with Professor Longbottom?" Scorpius clenched his hands into fists, attempting to hold back the anger that was threatening to spill out. "No! For the time being Quidditch comes first! And if you can't get that through your thick skull than you'll be off the team faster than you can say Chudley Cannons! Have I made myself clear?"

Michael blinked. "What?"

"Off the team! As in I'll find another beater! You are easily repla—"

I tugged on Scorpius's elbow, cutting him off before he managed to lose us a player before we even reached our first match. "Are you mad?" I hissed before turning back to the baffled boy and smiling sweetly. "Sorry about that, Michael and please, forget what Scorpius said. Just get your broom and head on up there. We'll be there shortly."

Michael swiftly moved away from the conversation before joining the others, currently flying laps. I shifted my attention back to the prat, "What were you thinking, you daft dimbo? You do realize that we can't go around yelling at our players?"

"First off," Scorpius glared down at my, "I am not a daft, nor am I a dimbo. Secondly, I feel that I have a right as their captain—"

"Co-captain."

"Right. As their co-captain to yell at them when they're well out of order."

"Speaking with a Professor is not out of order! And if you haven't noticed, there isn't exactly a wide selection of students to choose from. So if you were to replace Michael, who exactly would you choose? Morgana Goyle or Perseus Adams?"

Scorpius sighed, "Oh, don't be such a smart arse. You know very well that Morgana and Perseus failed flying in their first year. But there are loads of other people!"

"Yeah? Like who?"

"Like… well, what about… what about Declan Wood?"

"He graduated."

"Longbottom?"

"Alice plays for James now and Pomona doesn't fly. She has a fear of brooms."

Malfoy shook his head, "No, the boy."

"Frank? He practically bleeds red and gold. Good luck getting him to even consider joining up with the likes of you."

"Well, you joined me didn't you?"

"What do you mean by that?" I asked, raising a lone eyebrow.

"You, daughter of two war heroes and Gryffindor to the core, joined the _likes of me_. Hate to break it to you, Red, but I guess that makes you like me."

"You're an idiot."

"And you're in denial," Scorpius smirked as he crossed his arms.

I frowned, "I'm not in denial."

"Yes you are," he replied simply. A smirk tugged on his lips as he stared cockily down at me.

"I am not!" I stomped my foot on the damp ground, sending bits of muddle out of a puddle and onto my red robes. "Now, are you going to stand here like a pretentious snake or are you going to join practice with the others."

Scorpius shrugged his shoulders. Jerking his head upwards he smiled mischievously, "I don't know. S'pose I quite like the view better from down here."

"What?" I said, creasing my brow and turning to look up at my teammates currently hovering over the center of the pitch. My eyes scanned over their robe clad bodies, searching for what had hogged all of Malfoy's attention. Lucy and Nott were having some sort of argument, either involving quaffles or pudding. And Frank was talking animatedly to Warrington, who was starting at Lily. Or Lily's arse.

Shite.

"Are you staring at my cousin?"

"No. Not technically. Just her bum."

"Malfoy!" I thumped his head with the handle of my broom, "She's my cousin and you're degrading her!

Scorpius laughed. "Degrading? No, not when she has an arse like that. I'd call it admiring. Or appreciation to her parents for making such a fine view possible."

"You're a pig!"

"I'm a teenage boy, Rose."

"I don't care what you are! Keep your hormones in control and your eyes off my cousin's bum!"

Scorpius smirked, causing me to groan. Nothing good ever comes out of one of his smirks. "Well, if I can't look at her bum, may I look at yours?"

"Excuse me?"

"Granted it's not as fine as specimen as hers, but I'd say yours is definitely the best in our year. Maybe second to Lily's overall. It's not _too _big and it's got quite a nice shape to it…"

My mouth hung open in shock and disgust. "Malfoy, have you been staring at my arse?"

"You're right," he smiled picking his broom off the ground, "we should get to practice."

"Malfoy!" I yelled after him as he took off towards the group, "I demand you stop staring at my bum!"

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><p>Squinting my eyes, I looked deeper into my china cup trying to making <em>something<em> out of the tea leaves presently sprawled about. I guess it could be cross, or if I tilted my head to the side you could say it's a wonky-looking star.

"Oh, my dear, let me have a look! Let me have look!" Professor Trelawney said as she fluttered over, her tangled mess of beads clanking together with each step. With a wrinkly finger she pushed her bug-eyed spectacles up the bridge of her nose before peering over my shoulder and into my cup. "Ah, a tree. Tell me, how's you're family? Are they well?"

"Yes, as far as I've heard."

"Hmmm," she nodded, "then it's a conflict. Tsk, tsk. What a pity to be young and so blind to the indispensable bond of family."

I blinked. Dad always told us that Trelawney was off her rocker, so how in Godric's name does she know about my family troubles. I bit my lip and pointed at a lumpy form on the left side of my cup. Maybe she'd be able to divulge more. "What about this spot?"

"A vulture."

"And what does that mean exactly?"

"Beware of enemies," Lucy informed me. She grasped the tea cup in her hands and brought it closer to her seat next to mine. "Though, if you ask me it looks more like a swallow."

"What's a swallow s'pose to—"

"Frank, my dear! Give me the cup! Give me the cup! Oh, my dear, please do not leave your dormitory on the nineteenth for Saturn has moved out of the position of power! My Inner Eye predicts a great deal suffering and pain!"

I shifted my attention away from Professor Trelawney, who was now pouring over Longbottom's tea cup, and turned towards Lucy. "So what's a swallow got to do with my life?"

Lucy rolled her eyes, "Honestly, Rose you're a sixth year and you can't even determine the meaning of a swallow? Give it up. You've got about as much talent at this as your mum."

"I am not my mother! And so what if I can't tell you what a silly little bird means. I've got an Eye, it's just hidden… deep down. But it's there!"

"Whatever you say Rose," Lucy laughed. "Now," she slide her cup across the table, "what's in my future?"

"Well," I sighed before lowering my face to get a closer look at the clusters of tea leaves. There's a cat and, "I paused, taking the time to narrow my eyes at a blob on the side, "a deer. Plus, there's a circle. No, wait. That's a wheel. So, you'll make some changes concerning an unreliable friend and… a deer."

"You're pathetic."

"Am not!" I argued. "Just you wait! When a deer comes gallivanting into your life you'll see! You'll see I have what it takes to deal with this… this—"

"Tasseography."

I nodded, "Right, Tasseography. I am a Master at Tasseography."

"Miss Wilkins, I regret to say that your worries will be confirmed. I see difficult times ahead. Beware of this Friday; the fifteenth will be most troublesome for you."

"Yeah," Lucy smirked, "you're about as much a master at this as Trelawney is."

I raised an eyebrow. "Is that a compliment?"

"The fifteenth is a Thursday."

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><p>By the time supper was ready in the Great Hall I felt like a melted pile of mush. Today had been exhausting to say the least. At the end of Divination I'd gotten twisted in one of Professor Trelawney's oriental rugs and stumbled into the china cabinet. I missed my hour-long free period picking up shattered bits of cups as Trelawney buzzed about the room going off about how she'd foreseen this. And then once I'd scrapped even the tiniest fragment off the floor, I had to rush off to double Potions. Lucky me got the "privilege" of sitting next to Kira Wilkins. I'd rather have been seated next to Malfoy than next to her pestering arse, and that's saying something.<p>

Speak of the devil.

Scorpius strutted his way through the open doors and reached the far end of the hall. He squeezed his way in between Lucy and Lily, who before they were so rudely interrupted where quarreling over who got to polish off the last of the potatoes. "Long day, Red?" Malfoy smirked, running his long fingers through his white-blonde locks. Though I'd never admit it aloud because it would inflate his fat ego, Scorpius was quite handsome, even if he was a ferret.

"I never want to hear Kira's shrill voice ever again," I grumbled before scooping what was left on my plate and shoving it into my mouth.

Lily frowned. "Honestly Rose, you're worse than your father."

"What you fail to see, Potter, is that Weasley here has got about as much manners as a hippogriff."

"I'm hungry" I growled, my mouth stuffed with the last of my meal.

"Attractive, Weasley. Is that how you've seduced your previous boyfriends, with a mouthful of food?"

I narrowed my eyes. "At least I've had a relationship that's lasted longer than a week, Malfoy. You on the other hand parade about the castle with your latest conquests. Tell me, do you feel accomplish now that you've deflowered half of the females in this school?"

"Believe me," Scorpius smiled slyly as he leaned back in his seat, "I enjoyed every minute of it."

"You're despicable."

"You're jealous."

"Jealous?" I laughed. "Right, I'm jealous of a prat like you! Merlin knows I'd _much_ rather be ruining Hogwart's innocence than actually work my way towards a decent career!"

"At least I'm not a boring stiff that'd rather write essays meters long than actually have a bit of fun! Tell me, Red, when was the last time you did something you shouldn't have? Something that made your heart pound and your palms sweat? Tell me, have you ever broken a rule?" Malfoy teased me, his lips curled into a twisted grin and his eyes laughing at me.

"I've broken rules! Believe it or not I'm not a complete goody-goody!"

"Really?" He raised his eyebrow in suspicion. "Do tell, what exactly have you done? Stayed in the library past curfew?"

"Ugh! Well I'm sorry if I like to make sure to have my assignments completed! But, I've snuck out for other… purposes. It's just none of your business."

"Really? None of my business? Well, if you ask—"

"You're insufferable, you know that?"

"Merlin!" Lucy huffed as she threw her hands down on the table in aggravation. "Would you two quit it?"

"No!" Scorpius and I snapped simultaneously.

Lily sighed. "Well, you better can it now or McGonagall's going to have a fit," she gestured towards the front of the room.

Professor McGonagall had left her seat at teachers' table and taken her spot at the podium. "Students, I am sorry to keep you from your meals but there is an announcement to be made regarding the tournament. If you are a captain participating in the Quidditch competition would you please join Mr. Bilderfudd in hall, immediately. That is all, thank you."

"Coming, Red?" Scorpius smirked as he stood up from the bench.

I rolled my eyes. Slowly I shuffled out of my seat and followed my _lovely_ teammate out of the Great Hall. I quickened my stride in order to keep up with Malfoy. Curse him and his long legs! "You know the least you could do is wait for your co-captain!" I huffed finally stepping into stride beside him.

Malfoy looked down his pointed nose at me and replied smugly, "I don't wait for anyone, especially you, Weasley."

"Prat."

"Watch your language, _Rosie_!" Louis teased as the pair of us reached the huddle of captains. "Wouldn't want to see you miss a game because you're in detention again for the mouth of yours. Then again," he smiled, "seeing as you're my competition…"

I slapped him on the arm, "You're to win fairly, _Lou_. That means no schemes to land my arse in detention scrubbing cauldrons. Do I make myself clear?"

"If I must," he sighed dramatically. "Though only is you promise to stop using that wretched nickname."

"I'll stop once you lay off calling me Rosie."

Louis brought his hand to his chin, contemplating his choices. He shook his blonde hair, "No, sorry. I don't think that's an option."

I shrugged my shoulders, "Whatever you say, _Lou_."

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><p><strong>Review? Please?<strong>

**And stay tuned for the next chapter. Maybe invovling some more information on the tournament... and maybe the first match... or something. Who know? You will! If you keep reading in the future!**

**3**


	8. Chapter 8

**I present to you the longest chapter yet! Thanksgiving break starts on Thursday and I hope to write chapter 9 really soon! Enjoy! And PLEASE review!**

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><p>Mr. Bilderfudd's warm eyes scanned the group in front of him. "Good evening, students. Sorry, to drag you away from your meals but I thought it was about time we discussed the fine details about the tournament tomorrow."<p>

As he began to explain about the matches, I peered at the group surrounding me. Besides Louis, Scorpius and myself, there were six students in the empty corridor. Not to my surprise, James was there, listening to every world that spilled out from under that man's hairy mustache. Creevey was beside him, eyes wide with excitement. Further down the line, Marie Jacobs stood with her boyfriend, Neil McLaggen. I'm not an expert on relationships, but seeing as how the two are on different teams, this won't end well. Not at all. Just past them, on my right, Quincy Evans fidgeted, earning a glare from Mariela Flint.

"As per usual, the team with the most points wins the match. Now, if you're defeated once, you're out. It is only if and when you make it to the finals that you'll play for best two out of three. Any questions?"

Mariela raised her hand, "Sir, how exactly do you plan on dividing us up?"

"Ah," Mr. Bilderfudd shook his head, his eyebrows shooting up to meet his hairline, "yes, I've forgotten that detail. Well, you'll be sorted into two divisions: England and International." Reaching into his sandy brown jacket, he retrieved a small satin bag. "Inside are eight badges, for you captains." His eyes glanced over to me and Scorpius, "Of course, I hadn't planned on co-captains, but we'll work on you two later. Now, Mr. Potter, why don't you give it go. Come on."

James stepped forward. He raised his chin arrogantly in the air as he let his hand pluck out a single badge. "Kenmare Kestrels. Finnigan will love this."

"Creevey?"

The small boy retrieved his patch, "Wimbourne Wasps. Say, is there anyway we'll be able to trade? I was kind of hoping for the Tutsh—"

"No trading. Jacobs, then McLaggen."

One after another, they each received a team. Marie grabbing the Holyhead Harpies and her boyfriend the Wollongong Warriors. Louis had gone after them, pulling out the Appleby Arrows.

"Next," Mr. Bilderfudd smiled, nodding his head in our direction.

Both Scorpius and I went to take a step forward. He frowned, "What do you think you're doing, Weasley?"

"I believe I'm about to chose our team name, Malfoy. So if you don't mind, I will proceed in doing so." I went to take one more stride closer to the red sack, only to get stopped by Malfoy's extended arm.

"Why don't you let me do the honors?"

"Really, Malfoy? You're going to deny the lady the chance to pull a piece of fabric out of a tiny bag? Seems quite silly if you ask me."

I turned my head, offering Louis a smile. Well, at least _he_ doesn't hate me. I knew I always like him for a reason. Turning back to face Scorpius, I gave him a smirk resulting in a deep sigh and an eye roll from him. I stepped towards the bag happily because who cares if it's a small victory, it's a victory nonetheless. And when you're dealing with Scorpius, victories can be quite hard to come by. Slowly I inched my hand into the satin, letting my tips brush the leftover badges. My fingers curled around one allowing it release from the bag. Etched onto the navy blue patch were two golden bulrushes. A grin spread across my face, pushing my freckles off to the side. "Puddlemere United."

"Ah, yes, Puddlemere United. Well, I'll get back to you later with another badge, Mr. Malfoy."

Returning to the cluster of teammates, the grin never left my face as I clutched the badge in my hand. This _had_ to be a sign. I got my favorite team; everything's going to turn out fine. It has to.

I barely listened, as the next two captains chose the Vratsa Vultures and the Falmouth Falcons respectively. Somehow I knew that the expression on my face was a bit weird and airy. The look of confusion from Scorpius might have been a dead giveaway.

"Right!" Mr. Bilderfudd said joyously as he stowed the now empty pouch into his coat. "Now that that's out of the way, the house elves will be delivering everyone's uniforms tonight before curfew. Tomorrow will be the first match in the England division, starting off with Puddlemere United against the Wimbourne Wasps. I expect to have your teams on the pitch and ready to fly by four o'clock on the dot."

A lump formed in my throat. Tomorrow? I glance wearily at Scorpius, who too seems to be quite uneasy about the realization that we'd be starting so early. "Practice tonight?" I mouthed to Malfoy, whilst Mr. Bilderfudd was dismissing the others.

He nodded.

Taking a deep breath, I turned to bring the news to our team as Scorpius jogged down the hallway, hoping to book the pitch before Creevey beat him to it.

The team was hunched together at the Slytherin table. Noticing me walking toward them, Lily perked up. "So? What's going on?"

"Good news or bad news first?"

"Bad," Lucy stated, her eyes watching my every move like a hawk.

"Our first game is tomorrow." The group groaned. "Meaning we have to practice… tonight."

Rennison raised his hand. "Excs-excuse me, b-but I've got essays to write."

"And I've got prefect duties," Nott added.

I ran a hand through my tangle mane, a habit of mine that came up whenever I was a bit stressed. "Look guys, I'm sorry but it's what we need to do in order to win. Chryson you'll have to find someone to cover for you. And Michael, I'm not sure what to say. I'll try and talk to Malfoy about making it a quick practice, but knowing how obstinate that boy can be I'm not sure if it will do any good."

Chryson Nott nodded, "Alright, if I must."

"So, what's the good news, then?" Lily asked, tilting her head to the side.

"We're Puddlemere United!" I beamed, waiting for their shouts of excitement. The room was quiet, and I dropped my arms down to my sides. "Really? Nothing?"

"I hate Puddlemere United," Nott said simply.

Lucy nodded, "Yeah, I could really care less."

Warrington shrugged. "Honestly, I was hoping you'd say something alone the lines of a party. Firewhiskey and all."

"Alright. If we manage to crush Creevey and his little gang of first years I'll let you have a party. But," I interrupted before Zelus could let out his loud whoops of excitement, "it's only for the team. No guests."

"But there'll be firewhiskey?"

"Yes."

"WHOOO-HOOO!" Zelus cheered, leaping onto his feet before rushing towards the door. "Come on you lot! We've got ourselves a game to win tomorrow!"

Lucy shook her head in disbelief. "You've created a monster, Rose."

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><p>The wind sent chills down my spine, causing the hairs of my skin to stand pin straight. The weather wasn't too awful, if you didn't mind freezing your bum off. Luckily we only had to deal with a few chilly breezes and not any tree-bending winds. Had that been the case, I'd bet my lifesavings that Lily would be bundled up in front of the fireplace, choosing to ignore the fact that she belonged elsewhere. That girl did not like the chilly weather.<p>

"It's cold out here," said Scorpius, stating the obvious.

I nodded, "Yes, quite like your heart."

"Ouch," Malfoy said, his hand over his heart feigning hurt feelings. "Must you always abuse me?"

"You're right. It's my fault for everything. I truly am a bully."

"You know," Scorpius sighed, "you could try and hide the sarcasm."

I shook my head, "Not nearly as enjoyable."

"You wound me."

"Ah, yes, well, let's leave the wounding to the beaters and do _our_ jobs. Where's the team? I think it's time for a quick pep talk." I craned my neck, hoping to spot them near the locker rooms. Snickers sounded off behind me, so I whipped my head back to face a smug ferret. "What exactly is so funny?"

Scorpius shook his head, "Nothing. I just can't believe you've managed to misplace our entire team already. _I_, on the other hand, know exactly where they are."

"Pray tell?"

"Weasley, I thought you were smarter than this. Now, do you really believe I'm going to disclose any information without payment?"

I rolled my eyes, "Malfoy, it's really none of my business what sexual favors you ask of your fellow housemates but we're in a hurry and the information you hold is vital to our win."

His smirk grew wider, a feat I had thought was impossible given the fact that it was already so abnormally large. "Well then, Red, I guess you'll have to give in sooner. All you have to do is say 'Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy is the brightest, _sexiest_ Quidditch player to ever exist in the Wizarding World.'"

"Really?" My eyes bugged out and felt the sudden urge to smack the arrogant git upside the head. "You're holding information hostage in order to receive a compliment? And a false one at that! You're incorrigible!"

Malfoy held his calloused hand up in defense, "Hey! I'm not the one who lost her team in first place."

"Fine," I spat. "Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy is the brightest, _sexiest_ Quidditch player to ever exist in the Wizarding World."

"Now, doesn't it feel good to tell the truth?"

"Believe me, every word of that sentence brought pain to my soul. The last thing it was was pleasant. Now, out with it."

"They're in the Slytherin locker room. Last I saw them Lucy was about to hex Warrington's balls off and Lily was practically in Nott's lap," the prat smiled. "And Rennison was waiting patiently for us in the corner."

I sighed, "Well, good to know we have one faithful player. Excuse me; I've got to talk some sense into the others."

And boy, did I have a lot to say. I hastened towards the changing rooms and thrust open the door. Upon my arrival, Lucy had Warrington shoved against the wall, wand to his throat. "You take that back! Warrington, I am warning you! If you don't bloody apologize to me, you can say goodbye to your manhood!"

On my right, Lily was busy making flirty eyes with the boy beside her. "Honestly, Potter? Your cousin is about to castrate someone!"

"Have you ever heard of wrackspurts? You're head's full of them." Lily told Nott, ignoring me.

"Unbelievable," I grunted, turning away from my cousin as she informed Chryson that kissing helps rid one's head of those tiny creatures. Lucy had now, tightened her grip on the wand, close to disintegrating any chance the boy had of ever having children. "Lucy, drop you're wand."

Her head whipped around quickly with a flash of dark red. "I'll lower my wand once he's said he's sorry."

"Please," I whispered, loud enough for her to hear, "just drop your bloody wand."

Gradually, Lucy let her arm level down to her side as she stepped away little by little.

"Good. Now have a seat and face me. _All _of you," I hinted, finally gaining the couple's attention. "If I ever catch you lot behaving this way to each other, especially moments before a match, I will make sure that you are running drills until the sun goes down and your muscles are screaming out in agony. This," I gestured frantically around the room, "is unacceptable! I don't care if you hate each other or if you'd rather be off shagging like rabbits, this, _the tournament_, is your top priority! It's about time you treat it as such!" My chest heaved with anger and my face had now taken on the shade of my curls.

"Well, _that_ was awe-inspiring," Scorpius said sarcastically before strutting toward the center of the room. "Great job pumping them up, Weasley. How bout I give it a go, yeah?" Scorpius took a step forward.

"Today is the day that we show that crowd that we're meant to be in the finals. It's the day that we prove to everyone that we will earn our rightful spots on that team. Not only will we obliterate Creevey and his motley crew but we will show those Gryffindors who's the best. Those other teams, they think they're faster, they think they're stronger, and they think they're going to win. They're wrong. _We_ are going to dominate this competition.

Warrington, you are going to have to stay focused. Don't let those puny little first years get a single quaffle through the hoop. Nott and Rennison, you smack those bludgers as hard as humanly possible. I want them to hurt for weeks afterwards, you got that? Lily, keep your eyes open. Donaldson is quick on his feet and, when it comes down to it, he's their best player, meaning that you have got to give it all you've got. As for the rest of us, we've got to show them no mercy. Have I made myself clear?"

The team nodded.

Nodding my head along with them, I smiled, "He's right guys. Show some enthusiasm!"

"For firewhiskey?" Nott suggested, raising an eyebrow.

"FOR FIREWHISKEY!"

* * *

><p>Quickly I tugged my broom upwards, cradling the quaffle in my right arm, in order to avoid the twin chasers threatening to rip it away. Hearing a smack, I jerked my head back to see a bludger zooming towards me. I leaned forward on the broom so my chest was touching the wood and my Thunderbolt took off. Closer to the goals now, I had a clear shot. I threw the quaffle up into the cold air and twisted my broom around, smacking it with the tail end. The red ball whizzed forward. Alex Vaunt's fingertips reached out to grasp it but missed, allowing it to shoot through the center hoop.<p>

"THE SCORE IS NOW 170 TO 20 AND PUDDLEMERE IS IN THE LEAD! CREEVEY GRABS HOLD OF THE QUAFFLE, HE TOSSES IT TO NORTH! MALFOY SNATCHES IT UP AND TOSSES IT TO WEASLEY! OH! INTERCEPTED BY NORTH!"

I took a second, bringing my broom to a stop, in order to catch my breath. "Lily better find that snitch and quick," I thought, "my hands are two minutes away from becoming popsicles." Scouring the field, I noticed Lily near the opposite end. Her orange hair was shooting out behind her as her and Donaldson were racing towards the snitch.

"Rose!"

I jerked my head to notice Nott on my right. His skin, once a nice beige, had turned purple and his lips a pale blue.  
>"Get back in the game before we all freeze our arses off!"<p>

I smiled to myself. Well, at least Scorpius and I managed to get through to them. Even if it does mean _I'm_ the one being corrected. "Whatever, Nott. Just keep the bludgers away from Lily and start hitting Donaldson."

"OH! EVANS SCORES A POINT FOR THE WIMBOURNE WASPS! COME ON! WOULD SOMEONE CATCH THAT BLOODY SNITCH ALREADY?"

"We're trying!" Nott huffed.

"Try harder!" I advised before tearing down the pitch.

Creevey tossed the quaffle into the air with O'Neill right behind him to snatch it up. Lucy came alongside, bumping O'Neill and allowing the ball to slip through her fingers. Swooping down, I caught the quaffle and swiveled my broom around, ready to take off towards their keeper.

Suddenly their beaters flanked both my sides. I tried to wiggle out but I was stuck between the two meaty Gryffindors.

"Weasley!"

I looked down. "What, Malfoy?"

"Stop!"

"What?" I yelled, unable to fully understand the words coming out of the ferret's mouth as bludgers were smacked and the audience was roaring.

"Stop your broom!"

"What!" My mouth hung agape, "Are you mad?"

"Trust me!"

I sighed. Quickly I yanked on my broom, commanding it to come to a halt. The boys beside me propelled forward as I was froze midair.

"Told you!" Scorpius smirked, joining me.

"Don't be a smartarse," I smiled tossing him the quaffle.

Malfoy shook his head before sending the ball to Lucy.

"OH! AND WEASLEY HITS THE QUAFFLE PAST VAUNT! 10 POINTS FOR PUDDLEMERE UNITED! LOOKS LIKE DONALDSON SEES THE SNITCH! POTTER'S ON HIS TAIL!"

"Shit," I murmured to myself. Sure, Lily was fair flyer but next to Donaldson I didn't know if she could hold up. "Lucy! Malfoy! Lemon Drops!"

My cousin smirked. Lemon Drops was definitely her favorite play in the book. Quickly she and Scorpius zoomed towards Creevey in center field. Malfoy glided out in front of him, mimicking his moments as to not allow him to pass. Lucy took the opportunity to shove the ball out of his hands and into her own.

I hovered near the goal posts waiting for Lucy to dodge the tiny first years trying to snatch the quaffle back.

"DONALDSON'S CLOSING IN! AND WEASLEY'S HEADED TOWARDS THE GOAL!"

"Come on! Come one!" I chanted anxiously. We just needed one more goal.

"Rose!"

Lucy sent the quaffle soaring in my direction and I caught it before ducking under the keeper and throwing it into the left hoop.

"10 POINTS FOR PUDDLEMERE UNITED! OH! DONALDSON IS REACHING OUT! HE'S GOT IT! DONALDSON HAD CAUGHT THE SNITCH!"

I sighed in relief.

"AND THAT'S THE GAME! PUDDLEMERE UNITED WINS 190 TO 180! NICE TRY WASPS! YOU ALMOST HAD 'EM THERE!"

Some of the players swooped down onto the field. The Wimbourne Wasps were currently surrounding their seeker in order to reprimand him for ending the game too early.

I joined my team in a few victory laps around the pitch. The audience clapped halfheartedly and a shiver of disappointment flooded through my body.

"Screw them, Weasley. They don't understand."

I nodded, biting my chapped lips. "Yeah. I just never thought I'd be an enemy to my school."

Scorpius turned to me, his face serious and void of emotion "Join the club."

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><p><strong>Good? Bad? Review or I'll never know!<br>Seriously... please. The lack of reviews disappoints me...**

**Next chapter- Firewhiskey, celebrating, and mudbloods.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Thanks for the reviews guys! But this chapter has got some drama in it so I'm hoping for a few more! Enjoy!**

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><p>"Alright! Everybody huddle up!"<p>

Lily groaned, "You do realize this isn't what we meant when we asked for a party."

I nodded, "I realize. And you'll get one. Tonight." The mud splattered players cheered in excitement. "But first we have to run drills. We need to do better for our next match."

"Uh," Warrington piped in, "if you didn't notice we _won_ our last match."

"We're aware of that Zelus." I looked over my shoulder to catch a glimpse of Scorpius striding in, late as usual. "But I wouldn't call winning by ten points honorable. Especially when playing a bunch of first years. In fact, I'd be embarrassed."

"I'm sorry!" Lily snapped bitterly. "I tried my bloody hardest out there and I failed. It's _my _fault!"

I sighed, "Lily, we're not bla—"

"Sorry Weasley… but Potter, shut up." Lily's mouth hung open in disgust and I eyed Malfoy skeptically. "We're not _blaming_ you. But to say you were a contributing factor would be great understatement. I've seen you fly before and I know you could have grabbed that snitch right out from under his nose. You're a brilliant player. You just need to try harder. The same goes for the rest of you."

"Agreed. Now start warming up," I ushered, encouraging them to get a move on. Turning my feet towards Malfoy's, I cocked my head and rested my hands on my hips. "So, if this fashionably late routine of yours going to happen everyday? Or is it only for special occasions?"

Scorpius crossed his arms and stared down at me with his piercing grey eyes. "I don't think you should have to worry about that Weasley."

"Oh," I mocked, "so I shouldn't have to worry about you missing practice whilst you shag Crowley's brains out?"

Malfoy glared. "You don't know a thing about Alyssa. Besides, what I do in my free time is none of your business."

I stepped closer, straightening my back in an attempt to be more intimating. In all honesty, I don't think it worked. Unless I've got a wand or a broomstick in my hand, I'm about as intimating as a pygmy puff. "If you're missing the beginning of practice it _is_ my business."

Scorpius lowered his face closer to mine. "Trust me, Red. You wouldn't want to know."

I smirked, "Wouldn't I?"

"What the hell was that?"

The two of us broke the staring competition and gave our attention to the action playing out on center field.

Lucy was standing on the grass, collecting a dropped quaffle off the ground. Warrington was climbing off his broom as the others flew down to join them. "I can't believe you didn't catch that!"

"I'm sorry, _Zelus_! I messed up! Excuse me for not being perfect!"

"Trust me," Warrington bit, "I know."

"Excuse me?" Lucy yelled, her dark mahogany hair flying wildly around her head as she took a step towards him. "Are you saying you're better than me?"

"Well, _I_ sure as hell wasn't the one who got cheated on!"

"You! Are! A! Self-righteous! Little! Prick!" Lucy spat, prodding him in the chest with her finger to accentuate every word. "And you can bet that if I had cheated on you that I wouldn't have done it with a tart like Atalia!"

"You shagged my sister?" Chryson yelled, tugging Warrington by the robes.

Warrington slapped his hand away, his attention still on my cousin. "Al least she wasn't such a bloody prude!"

I rushed forward, "Guys, could we please settle this later? I mean—"

"No!" Lucy yelled at me before glaring at Zelus again. "Excuse me for keeping my morals! Sorry I didn't want to loose my virginity to a sloppy kisser!"

"You going to go there?"

"Yeah, I am!"

"Enough!" Scorpius yelled, storming over towards the pack.

"Seriously," I jumped in, putting some distance between the bickering ex-couple, "could we just work this out later?"

Warrington scowled. "This doesn't concern you, Mudblood!"

Malfoy strode in next to me, his jaw clenched and his hands looked ready to snatch up his wand. "Don't call her that!"

"What?" Warrington shrugged, "You going to hex me?"

In the blink of an eye Scorpius had swung at the sandy-haired boy. His right hand connected with his cheekbone, knocking him to the dewy ground. "Fuck off, Warrington. And make sure to hand in your uniform by morning."

Turning on his heel, Scorpius seized his broom off the ground and whisked himself away from the pitch. The crowd of us stood around the hurt boy in awe. I couldn't tell if we were shocked by the words that had come out of his mouth or the actions performed by our co-captain.

* * *

><p>"Rough day?" Lia smiled at me over the cover of the latest <em>Teen Witch Weekly<em>. She laid down the magazine as I threw myself onto the bed in a grumble. "Yeah, rough day."

"Rough doesn't even begin to cover it!"

"Did Malfoy talk about your bum again?" I shook my head. Amelia gasped, "Did he grab it?"

Stunned, I shot upright and sent my roommate a disgusted look.

"Oh my Godric! He did!"

"Lia! Don't be stupid! Like I'd ever let Malfoy within a meter of my bum."

"Oh," she sighed, relief spread across her face.

"I don't understand you two," Lily stated, dragging her feet across the cold floor and into our room. "Even if Malfoy insulted me during practice today—"

"He insulted you? Why?"

"I'll explain later," Lily shrugged before continuing her little speech. "Even if he insulted me, I definitely would not have minded if he grabbed _my_ bum. He's fit and after his little escapade today I'd say he's a decent bloke."

"Punching a kid in the face doesn't make him a nice guy, Lily."

"Wait! What?"

Lily shook her head. "It does when he sticks up for you. Warrington was way out of line calling you that!"

"Calling you what?" Lia asked, her icy eyes wide in confusion.

"Yes… but I could have dealt with it myself!" I protested not willing to spill out the truth.

"Don't lie to me, Rose. I know you."

"Okay. What in Merlin's name is going on here?"

"Fine!" I huffed throwing myself back down onto my fluffy comforter. "I _am_ thankful for what Malfoy did. It was very chivalrous and out of character for him. It surprised me… in a good way."

Lily took a seat at the foot of my bed and smiled down at me. A few strands of hair fell onto her freckled cheeks. "In a good way?"

My face grew red in realization on what I had let slip out. "I- I meant that… that I was just glad he did it. And that he wasn't as much of a tosser as he usually is."

"Wait!" Lia yelped, finally able to catch out attention. She held her hands up in a stop position and spoke slowly, "Does Rose have a crush on Scorpius now?"

"WHAT!" I yelled as Lily nodded her head yes. "I do _not_ have feelings for Malfoy! The thought makes me want to throw up. Merlin, no!"

My best friend furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. "So, he likes you?"

Again Lily nodded her head as I protested. "No! I'm pretty sure that ship is never going to sail!"

Lily smirked.

"Not that I want it to!" I defended. "If anything Scorpius and I are learning to get along, or at least we're not going to rip at each other's throats."

"Really?" Lily grinned slyly. "Just wondering, umm… since when are you and _Scorpius_, on a first name basis?"

"Sorry for calling him by his given name. It's not like the whole world has come to a stand still because I called him Scorpius."

Lia gasped. "She did it again!"

"Oh shut it!" I grumbled, picking up my pillow and aiming it at her large head. To my dismay she caught it with ease.

"Hey," she admonished, pointing her finger at me, "don't get violent just because you're falling for a snake."

"That's it!"

"Oh come on, Rose," Lily sighed as I stumbled out of bed. "You know we're only joking."

I shook my head as I reached down to pick up my white trainers, "Doesn't matter. I'm really not in the mood for your teasing."

"We'll stop."

I shrugged. "Whatever. I just need to clear my head. Plus, I've got loads to do before the party tonight."

"Party?" Lia perked up.

Lily shook her head. "Sorry, Puddlemere United players only."

"Okay. From this point on I am officially your mascot!"

I laughed, "Not going to cut. Sorry." Quickly I took hold of my scarf wrapped around the bed post. "I'll catch you later then, yeah?"

Before my lovely friends could stop me from leaving I rushed out the door and flew down the staircase. Reaching the bottom I froze. James was perched in his usual chair, the one that sat next to mine.

Slowly I walked towards the backside of the Fat Lady hoping not to distract my cousin's gazing into the fireplace. "Rose?"

I flinched. Turning back, I offered a weak smile. "Yeah?"

"Good game."

"Thanks," I replied, stunned that he was even gracing me with his presence. "Good luck… for your game."

James frowned, "Save your compliments, Weasley. They're not going to undo what you did to the team."

I chocked back a lump in my throat before letting the portrait swing open. I hopped off the top step and let my shoes make a clunk as I landed on the stone floor. Each step followed with a soft click. The corridor was empty at the moment seeing as most students had already congregated in the Great Hall for dinner.

As a second year I used to take this trip maybe once every two months. Back then the castle still seemed a bit haunted and eerie the further down I went, which made me thankful the dusty old Sorting Hat didn't bother thinking about putting me in the dungeons. By now I've gotten over that fear and have trekked down these stairs and halls multiple times a month. The chaos that occurred the moment I stepped through the pear painting was nothing new to me.

"Miss Weasley!"

"Vurney would be honored to grab you a hot coco, Miss Weasley!"

"No, Miss must try Bippy's lemon pie!"

"A seat, Miss Weasley?"

I smiled and allowed a handful of giddy house elves to usher me towards a seat in the corner. "Really guys, thank you. But I'm only here to pick up a few things."

Vurney deflated. His ears, once pricked up in attention, fell. "Miss doesn't want the hot chocolate?"

"Sorry, Vurney," I frowned, "but I promised my team. Next time. I guarantee."

Vurney nodded and another elf stepped forward with a big grin. "Woozy is here to help Miss get what she needs."

I bit my lip. "Would you mind looking for a few bottles of firewhiskey for me? And some butterbeer as well?" I held my breath hoping I wouldn't be denied due to my age.

"Woozy knows just where those are, Miss Weasley. Woozy will get them for Miss Weasley."

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><p>I took a swig from my half empty bottle. The firewhiskey sizzled as it slid down my throat. Normally I'd limit myself to one glass but after this term I couldn't help but think, "What the hell! Live a little!" The firewhiskey was beginning to loosen me up and I could feel my IQ slipping with each gulp. It was impossible but I hoped by fuzzing my brain a bit the memories of the past few months would leave. And my encounter with James earlier. That could leave as well.<br>Lifting the bottle to my mouth I let the fiery liquid pour into my mouth. I tilted my head back against the wall to allow the drink to flow easier down my throat.

"Letting loose there Weasley?"

I lowered my bottle and rolled my head to the side. I peered through a few red curls and gave Malfoy a sloppy glare. "You're going to judge me _now_ when I'm trying to let loose?"

Scorpius snatched my bottle to polish it off. He wiped his soft lips with the back of his sleeve. "Believe it or not, Weasley, I'm proud of your little fun. Actually, I'd be happy to assist you. Now," he pointed at the bottles beside me, "let me have some butterbeer."

I obliged. "This is quite unlike you, Malfoy," I slurred. "Since when do you enjoy my company?"

"Since you're the only sane one here." He gestured towards the other side of the room. Currently, Lucy was dangling upside down on the sofa yelling the lyrics along to the Weird Sister's song blasting. Nott was babbling to someone on his right, someone who wasn't there. And Lily and Rennison were dancing atop the table, bottles in hand. Lily was giggling as she tripped over her own feet and Michael was shaking his butt, his arms flung up in the air and his Ravenclaw tie wrapped around his head. "Understand now?"

"I didn't know Rennison could shimmy life that," I blurted.

"I didn't realize you fancied him, Red."

"Merlin! Don't be silly," I snorted, giving Malfoy a shove.

"Oh, right! You fancy Longbottom these days, don't you?"

I groaned, "Will no one shut up about that? I don't fancy anyone!"

"Peculiar."

"What? Am I not allowed to be independent? Can't I just have fun without the strings of a boyfriend attached?"

Scorpius smirked, "Rose Weasley! Shagging in broom cupboards, snogging in the corridors, breaking hearts! Someone better stop you before you go wild."

"Quit joking."

"I'm not joking, Weasley," Malfoy shrugged before taking a sip out of the brown bottle. "Just the idea of you being the least bit…loose…sounds morally wrong. Very unlike you."

I challenged him with a smirk of my own. "Who's to say you know me?" And with those six words I managed to stump the ferret. He sat beside me staring blankly at the bottom of his bottle, quiet.

"Why'd you stop Warrington?"

"Doesn't matter," he grumbled, not bothering to give my any sort of eye contact.

In my drunken state my body must have disconnected from my mind because I gracefully laid my hand upon his forearm, begging him to pay attention. "It matters to me."

Scorpius licked his lips as if preparing them for the words he was about to let slip. He took a gulp before diving into his story. "When I was twelve, I went to Xander Pucey's house. He had gotten a new broom for his birthday and we were both so excited to try it out. I still remember what he said to me. He started on about Quidditch season, saying he couldn't afford to lose to Gryffindor again. Especially since you had a 'mudblood' captain." He ran his fingers through his hair, pushing his platinum locks back that managed to flop in front of his face. "Sure, I'd heard the word before, what with my grandfather being who he is. But I figured since my friends were saying it, it wasn't entirely bad. I went home that afternoon and walked into my father's office. And I said it. I thought I was so cool, so proper. Merlin, I still remember his face. The last thing he expected me to say was that bloody word."

"What'd he do?" I asked, mesmerized by his story.

Scorpius turned to face me. His stone colored eyes connected with mine. "He yelled at me. Said I had no right talking like that. I've never seen him so upset with me. He wouldn't even look at me."

"And?" I asked softly.

"I vowed never to disappoint him like that again. So, I haven't said that word since."

"Scorpius," I whispered, letting my hand capture his to give him a reassuring squeeze.

The boy beside me glanced down and stiffened.

I snapped my hand back and refused to give him even a glance. "Uh… right, sorry. I'm… I'm just going to go, uh, pick Lily off the floor now." And with that I pushed myself off the ground, abandoning a drunk and confused ferret.

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><p><strong>So it wasn't <em>a <em>_lot_ of drama but it was still drama. Good? Bad? Thoughts? Review!**

**I'm hoping to make the next chapter pretty long. Well, planning... but my plans never work out. Should be out within a month at the most. A week at the earliest.**

**Next chapter- talk, broom closets, and broken friendships.  
><strong>


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10! Already! YAY! And it's long! Beware! This chapter is pretty dramatic! Hopefully you like it!**

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><p>I never thought I would stoop to this level. But here I was sitting on the bed, my hands resting patiently in my lap as I awaited the much-needed advice from the guru. "Wait," my roommate paused, "can you go through it one more time?"<p>

It was hard enough dragging myself out of bed this morning with my pounding headache and desire to cling to my soft blankets but the hardest part was willing myself to go to Erin. She may have been my roommate but we lack similar interests. I enjoy books, food, and a stimulating game of Quidditch, whereas Erin likes ribbons, discussing boys, and Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop. The only reason I had sought her out today was to analyze what had occurred while I was heavily intoxicated.

Taking a deep breath, I massaged my temples and spoke. "We don't like each other. I'm just making that absolutely clear before another person even considers that to be an option. It's just that once we had both downed a few drinks we got friendlier. And I touched his arm and held his hand as he broke down a wall by telling me an extremely personal story. Is that…weird or… abnormal? You don't think he thinks that I actually like him. Do you?" I asked with an edge of panic in my voice.

"Well," Erin smiled sweetly with a flip of her glossy chocolate colored hair, "given the fact that the pair of you were a tad buzzed I would say that the situation wasn't too out of sorts." I sighed, relieved by the news. "But," I groaned inwardly as Erin continued, "I must say his story was quite touching. Though, don't you think he was holding back?"

"No," I replied, shaking my head, "he looked quite depressed. Like the more he revealed the harder it was for him to continue."

My girly roommate rolled her eyes. She sat beside me on her bed and adjusted her shortened skirt as she crossed her legs. "But why you?"

"What do you mean?" I asked creasing my eyebrows.

"It wouldn't surprise anyone to say that you and Scorpius aren't exactly on the best of terms." I nodded. "So I guess what I'm asking is why did he yell at Warrington, _his friend_, to protect you?"

And I froze. I had expected Erin to give me her input as she giggled like a school girl. But I hadn't expected her to be intelligent. Since when was the girl who received a Troll in Charms able to psychoanalyze Malfoy and I. Behind all the hairspray and glitter was a girl who knew her stuff. She definitely had a point. Sure, what Malfoy did on the pitch was remarkable for anyone and for him it was miraculous. Still, why protect me and my reputation when all he had done these past years is try to tear it down with insults and bitter lies.

"I have no clue."

"You might want to figure that out," she suggested, a grin tugging on her glossy lips.

"You're right," I nodded before standing up. "I'll be back… later. There's something I need to do."

She shrugged, "Go ahead. My work is done here."

Without hesitation my feet set in motion and carried me out of the sixth year dormitory. I whipped past a crowd of third and fourth year boys on their way to breakfast to scuffle out of the portrait hole in order to make it towards those bloody ever-changing stairs. Not bothering to wait for them to shift I hopped on and flew down the steps. Flight after flight I rushed seeking the bottom. Reaching the dungeons I raced through the labyrinth of hallways and secret nooks until I was sure I had reached the darkest, coldest corner.

A few Slytherin's had just stumbled out of the entrance. "Thanks," I called out as I leaped inside with the moody students giving me disgusted looks. It wasn't every day that a Gryffindor raided their palace. Further inside more and more Slytherins lounging on loveseats, catching up on assignments, and leaving their dorms were awestruck because of my presence. Finally I came face to face with the destination I was searching for. I twisted the knob and flung the door open. Stepping through the doorway and into the emerald and silver covered room I came in contact with a few scantily clad males.

Zabini's eyes grew in size. "What the hell!" he yelled, raising his sheets to cover him and his boxers.

Xander Pucey sauntered over towards me and crossed his arms. "What the bloody hell do you want, Weasley?"

I brushed my hair back behind my ear and stood up straighter. "I'm here to see Malfoy."

"Uh, mate!" Xander called into the bathroom. "You might want to come out and see this!"

"What do you want? I was just in the middle of—" Scorpius paused. He draped the towel that had just been drying his head over his shoulder. His toned chest was bare, only decorated with a few droplets of water. A pair of slacks covered his lower half, thankfully. It was already awkward enough to see him shirtless. Had he been wearing even less I'm not sure how confident I would appear staring at his torso. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to say thank you."

"For what?"

I eyed Pucey. I didn't want to be the one to mention his confession. Even if we weren't friends I could at least respect that. "I think you know."

Scorpius rubbed his hands over his face in frustration. "Guys, would you mind giving us a minute?" The boys did as told, only after Zephyr collected his clothes.

"Scorp—"

"You can't just walk in here!"

"I know."

Malfoy scowled, "No! You clearly don't know! What the bloody hell were you thinking? Do you want people to start talking?"

I put my hands up in defense. "I didn't come here to start any trouble. The only reason I'm here is because I realized I never said thanks for what you did with Warrington."

"It couldn't have waited until later, when we had potions or something?"

"I didn't exactly think it through but—"

"No! You didn't!"

I closed my eyes and sighed, "Scorpius, I'm sorry."

He shook his head and wandered towards the bathroom. Pausing before the doorway, Malfoy turned his head and gave me one last fleeting look. "Just go, Rose."

I waited until his figure had disappeared before I left. Yanking on the door knob, I hurried down the boy's stairs.

"Rose?"

My feet came to a halt. In front of me stood Lorcan Scamander. "Hi."

Lorcan stepped up beside me and gave me one of his usual bewildered expressions. "You're in the Slytherin common room?"

"Yeah," I laughed weakly, "I'm here!"

"Scorpius?" he asked gesturing towards his dormitory. "What. Did he put flobberworms in your hair again?"

"No. I was actually here to thank him. It just did not go the way I had planned."

"You'll have to excuse Scorpius. He's not exactly a fan of surprises. Especially in his dorm room."

"I'll have to remember that," I smiled. "But I've got to go. I have some last minute Potions work to do."

Lorcan opened his mouth to speak. "Rose, you know I'm not mad at you."

"Thanks," I replied honestly. "It is nice to know that I've got the Slytherins and my roommates on my side."

"Don't forget Louis."

"Right. Louis too. Anyway," I took a step towards the exit, "I have really got to get going. I'll see you later in History of Magic. We'll pass notes."

* * *

><p><em>Rose,<em>

_Your father and I send our apologies for not writing to you earlier. I hope you are keeping up with your studies. Make sure to pay extra attention in Potions class. We both know how difficult it was for you to make it to the NEWT level and I don't want you dropping out because you can not keep up with the course load._

_You should also remember to take care of your brother. Professor McGonagall has already sent us home three letters based on his attitude and actions inside the classroom. I must say his cousin James has been rubbing off on him. Next thing you know he will be visiting the headmistress daily. I am counting on you to be a good influence._

_Speaking of which, your father wishes for me to address this. According to your cousins you have teamed up with another team instead of Gryffindor for this tournament. First I must say that I am very proud of you for striving for inter-house unity. Working with Ravenclaw and Slytherin must be a new step for you. This will definitely benefit you once you become a healer. But I also have to say your actions were quite startling. As your parent it was very concerning to hear that you turned your back on your family to earn a Quidditch contract. From what Hugo tells me James is very broken up about your decision to abandon the team and Roxanne hasn't been acting the same since. This just seems extremely unlike you. I am very worried and I hope you can find a way to set everything straight._

_Love Always,_

_Mum_

_P.S. Your father asked me to add that he wants you to remember what he said and to stay away from Malfoy._

I crumpled up the letter and chucked it across the room and into the burning fireplace. In frustration I raked my nails through my bright mane and groaned. Yes, I had expected to receive a note from my parents at some point but to finally get it was just bloody awful. My own father hadn't even written a word. He had just used my mother as an owl to deliver me his words. And my mum. Sure, she had been kind about the whole ordeal but behind those polite phrases were feelings of disappointment. Worst of all she had brought up my future as a healer. Sixteen years and she still has yet to figure out that what she wants for me is not what I want for myself.

I sat in my favorite armchair, the one I have not been able to occupy since the "incident," thinking about what my mother had wrote. My legs were tucked up behind me and I cradled my head in my palm. Thankfully it was late enough so everyone was upstairs sleeping, allowing me the opportunity to have the entire common room to myself. The fire crackled around the logs and my eyes started to droop as the warmth lulled me to sleep. With my eyes half closed I caught sight of a figure walking along side the sofa.

"Hugo?" I asked in a weary voice. "Is—is that you?"

My brother ignored me and continued to walk forward.

"Hugo, where are you going?"

Still no response as he woke the Fat Lady by stepping into the corridor. Slowly I got onto my feet and shuffled over in the direction of my twit of a brother.

The hallway was much colder with the absence of the fireplace. Squinting into the darkness, I spotted Hugo. I rushed forward and made sure to stay as silent as possible so I was sure not to stir Mrs. Norris. "Hugo Ignatius Weasley!" I whisper yelled. "Stop!"

Of course. Ever since he was old enough to toddle Hugo has had a habit of sleepwalking. It was only natural that he would do it here at Hogwarts. Stupid little brat _had_ to make this more difficult for me. "Screw it," I huffed before yanking my wand out of my knee high sock. "_Stupefy_!" My brother flew forward, crashing onto his freckled face. "Shit!" I exclaimed before hurrying towards him. "_Ennervate_!"

"Ugh," he moaned. "What the f—"

"Hugo!" I knelt to the ground. "Are you okay?"

"Damn it! Rose, what the bloody hell happened?"

"Well, you were sleepwalking and I couldn't get your attention so I stupified you."

"Godric, Rose!" Hugo scrambled onto his feet and sneered at me, "Was that really the best choice? Merlin!"

"Where are you going?" I questioned as he turned to stroll further into the castle.

He whipped around to face me. "To the kitchens!"

"I got a letter from mum and dad," I blurted. "Well, mainly mum. She's worried about you. Why are you getting into trouble? You have never been like this!"

"Yeah? Since when did you care?"

"I've always cared. Just because I quit the team does not mean I don't care!"

Hugo fought to suppress a laugh. "Really? What'd mum have to say about that?"

"She's upset," I admitted. "Worried that I am not behaving like myself."

"They kick you out of the family?"

"Why would they do that?"

"Why not?" Hugo shrugged. "The rest of us already have."

I felt my stomach drop and my heart seemed to skip a beat. My legs were locked into place and my chest felt like someone had hit it with a stinging hex. The world was spinning. If it was possible for one's heart to break this must have been what it felt like.

* * *

><p>It was already five minutes past midnight and I knew he would be waiting. That meant I would have hell to pay for keeping him waiting.<p>

"You're late." He frowned at the sight of me as came around the corner. "Is this going to be a regular occurrence or is this just a special occasion?" he mocked.

"Ha. Ha," I said with a roll of my eyes. "Should we start out rounds?"

Malfoy gave a single nod. "Let's start on the main three floors together and after that we'll split up. I will head to the dungeons and you can manage the top floors."

"Great. _I _get to disturb the couples in the Astronomy Tower."

"Yes but I have got the scary dungeons. Hate to break it to you, Red, but only a real man can handle what lurks in those shadows."

I smirked and gestured over my shoulder, "Should I go get one then? We seem to be lacking in the real man department."

Scorpius narrowed his eyes at me and shook his head. "I should have prepared myself for that."

"Yeah," I nodded. "Well, let's get going. I think I saw a pair of fifth years heading towards the Transfiguration classroom on my way down here."

"Lovely. I get to spend my night cock-blocking randy underclassmen."

"I am sure you can handle one night away from your philandering ways. Your… _friends_ will survive."

Malfoy dug his fisted hands into his pockets and looked down at me disapprovingly. His strong jaw was clenched as if trying to prevent himself from spewing angry words. Based on his posture I took the cue that it was time to be quiet and focus on our prefect duties.

The castle was so silent even the faint sounds of purring could be heard echoing off the stone walls. The moon glowed through the window and spotlighted the tiny specks of dust as they danced in the chilly air. It was only the end of October, the night before Halloween to be exact, but I could already see a faint cloud with each of my breaths. It was times like these where I wish I had opted to bring a jumper. Goosebumps seemed to have infiltrated my body because as I looked down to examine my bare arm every hair was standing on end. As we came upon the hallway, only a few meters away from our destination, I could no longer stand the silence. "So why did you stop him? It's not like we're exactly friends."

Malfoy huffed, "I thought we decided to let this go. I don't want to discuss this."

My fingers reached out and grabbed his forearm. We twisted towards each other and I offered a pleading look. "Please."

Scorpius stepped back so he was out of my reach. "Not now, Rose."

"Well, then when?" I asked, frustrated with the boy in front of me. "I'm sick of waiting when all I want is a simple answer!"

His eyes flashed with worry. "Keep your voice down or we'll alert the couple." I just wasn't sure if he was worried about them or that I was seeking answers.

"Fine," I grumbled before striding towards him and yanking him into the nearby broom cupboard. "Talk."

"_Lumos_." He held his wand close to our faces. The bright light made his hair shine and it illuminated his livid face. "You are insufferable!"

"I am not letting you out until you start explaining," I said crossing my arms and staring him down with eyes that could challenge a basilisk.

"Could you just drop it?"

"No, I can't! I'm sorry but it matters to—"

"You are making me go mad!"

"Excuse me!" I snapped. My heart was pounding in my chest as the fury raged inside of me. All Scorpius could do was stare as my Weasley temper got the best of me. "But could you let me finish before you go off on a tangent! I know you think this is stupid. I got that after my visit to your dorm the other day. But I waited too long and I am frustrated that it took me this long to even tell you how thankful I am," I paused to catch my breath. "And I guess now I am just trying to understand why you would stand up for me. When have I ever done anything for you to earn that kind of respect? Since when does a pureblood stand up for a mudblood?"

"Don't use that word."

"Why?" I challenged. "Does it bother you?"

"Yes."

"Than fucking tell me!"

Malfoy reached out and took hold of my shoulders. "Rose, calm down. It's late and we don't want Filch to murder us for disturbing the castle."

"I am not afraid of Filch," I bit as I peeled my shoulders out of his grip.

"Do you really want to know? Fine, I'll tell you," Malfoy surrendered.

He placed his lit wand on the shelf behind us and started, "Once I was old enough to understand, my father told me the story of the war. It isn't exactly the one told in History of Magic but my father made sure to tell me the truth even if it wasn't what I wanted to hear. Yes, he may have been a Death Eater and he may have made some bad decisions but he did it to save his family. All he wanted for me was to have a better life. And the second I opened my mouth and said that filthy word I thought I had ruined it. I learned better than some of my housemates. They still fling around that word and their blood prejudices like it means nothing. All I'm trying to do is erase the past as best I can and not walk down the street and be labeled a Death Eater. The others aren't exactly helping the cause with their ignorance."

"I don't think of you as a Death Eater."

"Great," Scorpius smiled. "Now try convincing the rest of the world."

An insane thought flitted through my mind as I stood in that cramped broom closet with my chest almost touching Malfoy's. I realized that had I been here with another boy he would be snogging me right now. Instinctively I let my tongue moisten my lips and I timidly glanced up at him with my dark blue eyes.

Before I knew it a giggle sanded outside and the door was ripped open. Standing in the moonlit corridor was Lia and her freshly manicured hand was intertwined with my cousin's. My cousin James's. Her baby blue eyes were wide in confusion as she glanced back and forth between me and Scorpius. "What?" she mouthed, unable to form words.

"Rose!" James unlinked his hand from my roommate's and pointed his finger at me. "What are you doing with him?"

"We were patrolling," Scorpius spoke.

"I didn't ask you, Malfoy!"

"James," I started timidly, "it isn't at all what it looks like. We were just—"

"Just what? Tell me, Rose. Are you shagging this wanker?"

"Potter, you don't need to blow this out of proportion."

"Shut your trap Malfoy before I repeat what happened in fourth year!"

I ignored my hot-headed cousin and looked pleadingly at the girl by his side. "Please, Lia. Could you reason with him?"

Amelia shook her head slowly and choked back the lump in her throat that seemed to be preventing her from speaking. "I don't think I can."

"Why not?" I cocked my head to the side.

"I don't believe you."

"Why not?" I repeated, stepping past my cousin and towards her. "What isn't there to understand?"

"Rose, look at the situation! Here you are in the middle of the night with Malfoy in a broom closet! This doesn't look right!"

My flaming hair flew wildly around me as I shook my head. "Scorpius and I were only talking. We were arguing so I dragged him into the—"

"How do you expect us to believe that? And since when has he ever been _Scorpius_ to you? The Rose I know hates Malfoy and you can bloody well believe that she would never snog him! You said there was nothing going on between you two! How could you lie to me? I was your best friend!"

I chocked back tears and cried out, "I didn't lie to you! And you _are_ my best friend!"

"I don't think I can trust you anymore," Lia stood there stunned. Her eyes bore into mine as if she were staring at a stranger, someone she could never believe in.

With a mixture of anger, confusion, and sorrow I did the thing I would regret most. I turned on my best friend. "So you want to talk about lying? Let's talk about you! Since when have you bothered to tell me that you fancy my cousin? How long has _this _been going on?"

"Since the beginning of the year," she whispered.

"And you haven't bothered to tell me? I have been complaining about him and this bloody tournament since we've got here! You had plenty of opportunities to tell me!"

"I thought you'd be mad considering you two haven't spoken more than five words to each other!"

"Rose," Scorpius warned.

"Just go!" I shouted. "This is between the two of us!"

James came in next to Amelia to come to her defense. "Rose."

"Leave!"

"GO!" Lia snapped.

Both James and Scorpius gave one last glance at us. The innocent little girls they once knew were replaced with women screaming at the top of their lungs like they had lost their minds. Without question the boys left us behind to return to safety before we unleashed our pent up rage on them.

"Whose side are you on, Amelia?"

"I never took your side!" She fought. Her eyes looked down her nose at me and her mouth was curled up in disgust. "You were never right, Rose! You didn't owe Lily anything! If anything you owed James! He was the one that always looked after you! He protected you from scum like Malfoy!"

"You don't even know him!"

"Do you? He's a Slytherin! The son of a Death Eater! He's the reason your life was miserable your first four years! How are you on speaking terms with that prick?"

I balled my hands into fists. My knuckles turned white and my nails were sharp as they attempted to cut into my palms. "Don't talk about him like that! Don't you dare! He's better than that! Better than you!"

"Really?" Lia raised her eyebrow. "Was he the one that comforted you after he hexed you in front of the entire Great Hall? Was he the one that stayed up with you after Andrews dumped you for Alice Longbottom?"

"At least he's not shagging my cousin behind my back!"

"The same cousin you ditched! He was relying on you to win that contract! You know Quidditch means the world to him!"

"It matters to me too! And where is this coming from? How come you never told me how you felt before?"

Lia shrugged, "I guess I was trying to be a good friend. You were upset and you need support."

"I didn't need lies!" I argued. "If you had just spoken up I wouldn't be in the mess!"

"No! If you hadn't been selfish you wouldn't be in this mess! Ever since Mr. Bilderfudd came you have only been thinking about one person! Yourself! It isn't always about you!"

"When you have such a big family you get sick of always being overlooked! I'm sorry I was trying to think of myself for once!"

Lia scoffed, "For once? When have you ever bothered to ask about me? Don't I matter?"

"You get all the attention you want! Look at you! You're beautiful! People wouldn't dare overlook you!"

"I don't care about the attention boys give me! They're boys! All I care about is what my best friend thinks! And you don't even bother to acknowledge me when _you've_ got a problem!"

"I'm done with you," I hissed with venom.

"Same here, _Weasley_."

"Oh, and Amelia," I smirked menacingly, catching her attention as she turned to leave.

"What?" she growled.

"20 points from Gryffindor."

* * *

><p><strong>So? Is it getting dramatic enough? What did you think?<br>****And what do _you_ think happened to Scorpius in fourth year? Tell me what you think!**

**Next chapter- Halloween feast, wise words, and a kiss.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11. It's shorter but I hope you guys like it! **

* * *

><p>"Rose, get out of bed. You've been in here all day." Reluctantly I threw the covers off my face and sat up to face a chipper Lily. "Merlin! You look awful!"<p>

Leave it to Lily to make me feel worse about myself. She was never very subtle. But I couldn't blame her. My hair must have resembled Medusa's, sticking up every which way. Makeup had to be smeared all over my face and dark circles had probably formed under my eyes from a lack of sleep. My mind would not shut off as it kept replaying the events of the past few nights.

I had tried to put on a smile even after my own brother had informed me I had been booted off the family tree. For awhile I was able to trick everyone, maybe even myself, that I was fine. Of course that couldn't last very long. One mistake had led my best friend to show her true colors. And for me to shown mine.

"Come on, Grumpy Pants," Lily encouraged as she sat to join me in the tangled mess of sheets. "I know it must have been a hard night but you can't stay locked up in here for the rest of your life."

"How'd you find me? And who told you about..."

"About last night? No one had to tell me. Amelia's been crying and she refuses to speak to me. James keeps sending people up to check on her. I went down to breakfast this morning. You weren't there and Malfoy couldn't tear his eyes off his cereal. Something had to be wrong. Even I am not _that_ dim. And as far as figuring out where you were, I just thought 'Where would I go?' And TA-DA! Here I am!"

"The Room of Requirement? Why here?"

Lily smiled knowingly. "The same reason you're here. To be alone. To mope in my own misery."

"I'm not moping," I lied.

Lily's piercing green eyes narrowed with a single raised eyebrow. "Yes you are. Now, get out of bed and put your clothes on. I'll be waiting outside." She stood up and slapped a pile of clothes at my feet before sauntering out the door.

Moving as slowly as possible, I was able to stick my toes out of my blanket and shuffle out of bed. At the pace of a turtle I was ready to go after five minutes. On my way out the door I tied my tangled mess of hair in a ponytail. "I'm ready," I grumbled.

"Well, we better hurry up before we're late for the feast," my cousin stated, grabbing my hand and dragging me down the corridor.

I struggled to break free and attempted to prevent us from inching forward by planting my feet on the ground. "Lily, the last thing I need right now is to face the whole school. Can't we just skip the feast? I'm not in the mood for it this year."

Lily tightened her grip and rolled her eyes. "Godric, Rose! Can't you trust me?"

"Depends. But right now I am more than a little worried."

"Oh hush!"

It was a miracle that I handled making it down the steps with Lily's tugging. I had even managed to avoid the tricky step, third from the bottom. "Lily," I begged as I almost tripped between the changing staircases, "could you at least slow down!"

Lily shook her head. "I told you, we're late! So pick up the pace, Grumpy!"

My cousin had gone insane. I'm sure Aunt Luna would say that she simply has had a nargle infiltrate her brain. But she's wrong. Behind her sleek strawberry hair is the severely damaged brain of a messed up little girl. She is the only person I know to go from reading the Quibbler upside-down to hexing Leo Thomas for stealing her knickers to snogging said knicker thief. That couldn't possibly be the behavior of a sane girl.

As we passed Filch's office, which gave off a distinct stench of fried fish and yogurt, I assumed Lily had taken a wrong turn. "Lily, the Great Hall is that way."

The red-haired girl let out a disturbing noise resembling some sort of hippogriff mating call and I could only assume that it was supposed to be a groan. "I told you to shut up and trust me!"

In order not to unintentionally push anymore of Lily's buttons I opted to keep my lips sealed shut. The only thing left to do was pray she hadn't done something stupid. Like call a family meeting. Or set Lia's bed aflame. That would be bad. And honestly I can't rule those out because knowing her those are viable options.

We came to a screeching halt in front of a portrait. Lifting her finger, Lily tickled it, allowing us entry.

"Miss Weasley! Welcome!"

"Good evening, Miss Potter!"

"Tweeny has prepared everything just the way Miss has ordered!"

"Cupcakes?"

My cousin tore through the mob, pushing house elves aside. "Yeah, yeah! Move it!"

In the right corner, where a wooden stool had once stood, was now a small table with twin benches on either side. Over half of the seating was filled with our teammates. Lucy was beside Rennison. And on the farthest side a special guest sat in between Scorpius and Nott.

"Lorcan?"

He offered a lopsided grin and laughed, "Sorry I'm crashing the party but I figured this motley crew needed at least one crazy fan."

As I slid in next to Lucy I felt some of the weight fall off my shoulders. Memories of the past became blurred as I focused on the present. "Thanks Lorcan. Is everyone missing the feast for me?"

Michael shrugged, "Well, that and I don't exactly have friends."

"You're an idiot!" Lucy said with a quick thump to Rennison's head. "I'm your friend!"

Scorpius attempted to hold back a snicker. "Come on mate. You going to let her smack you around like that? Grow some balls!"

And then chaos ensued. Laughter and screaming were heard around the table as house elves rushed to fill our plates. Lily started twirling her hair as Nott was reenacting an encounter he had supposedly had with a mountain troll over summer holiday. Scamander had made himself at home and entered an argument over whether McGonagall had been attractive or not in her years as a student at Hogwarts. I couldn't help but smile and think that these guys had gone from being complete strangers to being my family.

"Sickle for your thoughts, Red?" I looked up and saw Malfoy sipping from his mug of butterbeer. "You haven't touched your food. Something wrong? Besides the obvious that is."

"Oh," I responded surprised, "I hadn't even realized. But, uh, no worries. I'm actually quite happy, given what has happened."

"Happy?"

I nodded, "Happy to be here. With family."

"Well, if you're going to call us a family you might want to inform Chryson and Lily. For some reason I don't think they'd be into the idea of incest," Scorpius smirked.

I exploded into a fit of giggles and snorts. Had I been hoping to appear attractive I would have failed miserably.

"Get a hold of yourself, Weasley!" Nott laughed, earning a shove from Lily.

"Someone shut her up!"

Lucy clamped her hand over my mouth in attempt to muffle my chuckling. "You are a complete nutter, you know that?"

I shook my head in agreement as I struggled to breathe between my frantic laughter. Stripping the fingers away from my face, I took a deep breath and sighed. "Alright, alright! I'm all good."

"You're a bit scary."

"Thanks Scorpius."

"You are _all_ a bunch of nutters."

The lot of us snapped our heads to the left and stared at the uninvited figure hovering in the doorway.

"What are you doing here?" Nott stood up from his seat, challenging our guest to come closer.

Albus timidly tip-toed further into the room. I couldn't blame him for proceeding with caution. For a Gryffindor, he was pretty cowardly and the Slytherins before him were not known for their welcoming nature or friendly demeanor. "Hello."

"Why aren't you upstairs with your Gryffindor friends, Potter?" Scorpius drawled.

"To be quite honest," Albus confided, "James was getting on my nerves. I am astonished I made it past the main course. I wanted to hex his mouth shout as soon as we sat down."

"Sounds like our brother," Lucy agreed prior to stuffing a pumpkin cupcake into her mouth.

I piped in, my curiosity getting the best of me, "Is he complaining about me?"

"Well, that and he won't stop jabbering on about Amelia."

"Lovely."

"Ew," Lucy gagged.

My raven haired cousin plopped onto the bench next to me. "It is a step up from the constant snogging. Pass me a treacle tart?"

"You're speaking to me," I informed, pointing out the obvious.

Albus shrugged. "You know I've never cared much for Quidditch. Plus, I understand the need to escape our loony family. No judgment there."

"Hey!" Lucy and Lily protested.

"Are people talking about the other night?" The teammates that had once been huddled around us to listen had now taken their cue. They moved away to discuss other impending issues, such as the latest Cleansweep model.

"You know Erin. Any story that is the least bit fascinating will spread around the school like Fiendfyre if she hears of it."

"Sometimes," I admitted, "I really detest her."

"Agreed," Albus nodded, raising his glass of pumpkin juice.

Miming him, I lifted my cup and clinked his before taking a small sip. "Al, am I selfish?"

"At times. But Rose," Albus advised, "I would not waste time lingering on what she said. Had she been a real, true friend she would have been upfront about it all from the beginning."

"I guess…"

"He's right, Rose," Scorpius added. Albus looked a tad put off. My guess was he hadn't expected Malfoy to agree with him, a lion _and_ a Potter. "Plus, if she's dumb enough to want to go out with _his_ brother you have to question her sanity. She's obviously not right in the head."

I laughed, "Right because if she was reasonable she would be chasing _your_ bum into a broom cupboard."

"Exactly."

"You know," Albus added, "I didn't know it was possible to be that arrogant. So proud. So…"

"Self-confident?" I offered. "Egotistic? Haughty? Supercilious?"

Scorpius grimaced, "Thanks."

"What?" I quirked my eyebrow in surprise and gave the ferret next to me a quizzical glance. "You're not going to shoot insults back? No calling me an uptight bookworm prude or a frizzy know-it-all. Not even a nickname? Red? Weaselette?"

"Weaselette? Hmm… never heard that one before. Quite like it."

My smile melted and a scowl appeared, "Merlin, no."

"Merlin? Well," he smirked, "I think you've got me confused with someone else, Rose."

I huffed, "You know what I mean, Malfoy!"

Scorpius grinned mischievously and leaned back on the bench. "Oh, I know, Weasley. It's just that you're much more interesting when you are riled up."

"And by that he means he thinks you're attractive when you're mad… or all the time… either way."

"Lily… Not now."

* * *

><p>My ears were ringing as I sat in the stands. The Gryffindors were up on their feet, waving flags and screaming at the top of their lungs. Lily and I slunk into the corner, residing as far away from the rest of the group as possible. As soon as Kira Wilkins smacked a quaffle past Ryker Moore the students cheering reached an all-time high.<p>

"Can we leave yet?" Lily asked, yelling over the crowd. I gave her look. "What? Look at the score! It's practically over!"

And it was. James was currently leading the Kenmare Kestrels in yet another successful match. In truth, Quincy Evans never had a chance. Not when it was no more than twenty minutes into the match and the other team was up by 210 points.

I rolled her eyes. "Lily, we're not here to see who wins! We're here to study them! Learn they're tactics, study their movements, and most importantly, find they're faults!"

"They have none!" She sassed gesturing towards the scoreboard.

"Really? Well, Colin Finnigan fumbles with the ball whenever he gets near the goal and Alice Longbottom favors the right side. Kira Wilkins has a temper which leads to the majority of her fouls. Meaning that if we work her well enough she might get herself thrown out of the game."

"ABERNATHY SHOOTS THE QUAFFLE TOWARDS THE GOAL! OH! AND SCAMANDER MISSES IT! 10 POINTS FOR THE VRATSA VULTURES!"

"See that," I pointed toward the hoops at the closest end of the field. "Lysander misses most goals that are shot near his ankles."

Lily tilted her head to the side. "Hmmm, I guess you're right."

"And Lily, Roxanne cracks under pressure. So when it comes down to finding the snitch, stay close and don't be afraid to give her a little shove."

"THOMAS GETS THE QUAFFLE! HE'S HEADING TOWARDS THE OTHER END OF THE PITCH! HE'S GOT A CLEAR SHOT! AND HE MISSES!"

"Plus, Leo has little to no aim. How he got on the team exactly I'll never understand."

"Well," I shrugged, "he might not be able to score but he got a great job as far as passing. And he's not afraid of roughing a few people up. Same goes for James."

Lily nodded, "Trust me. I _know._ I've lived with him long enough to know he is fully capable of roughing up both my brother and I."

"Yeah."

"So," she said, pursing her lips, "what is James's fault?"

I narrowed my eyes and frowned, shaking me head side to side. "I have no clue."

"WEASLEY'S CLOSING IN ON THE SNITCH! EDWARDS IS TRYING TO CATCH UP BUT HE'S TOO FAR BACK! WEASLEY REACHES OUT AND… SHE'S GOT IT! THAT'S IT! THE KENMARE KESTRELS WIN!"

Lily and I immediately slapped our hands over our ears to shield the noise erupting from the crowd. The Gryffindors were jumping up and down in excitement as James led his team in a victory lap. His fist was clenched as he pumped it into the air with a smile plastered on his face.

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><p><strong>So... I realize that I lacked added a kiss into this chapter but soon. I promise!<br>****And tell me what you think will happen next! Help prevent writer's block! **

**Next chapter- Team meetings, autographs, and a kiss.**


	12. Chapter 12

**I've had this written for a long time... and given that I've had a lot of work recently and I'll be gone and into the world of no internet for a couple weeks soon I decided to post what I had. Originally this chapter was going to be SUPER long. Like 3 times as long as it already is. Yeah... that didn't happen cause I couldn't keep you waiting.**

**Any who... enjoy and PLEASE review! I love 'em! Also tell me what YOU think should happen! I'll seriously try to work with it! This story is for me AND YOU!**

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><p>"C'mon, let's go," I mouthed, nudging Lily to slip through the crowd before there was a mad rush to the field. At any moment the majority of the student population would storm James and his team. It would start with cheering here and then it would lead to late-night, firewhiskey induced party taking total control of the Gryffindor common room. I made a mental note to find some place else for Lily and I to sleep for the night. The last thing the two of us needed was room full of Gryffindors, especially after a win.<p>

My fiery haired cousin zoomed down the stairs; I sailed down right behind her. By the time we had touched the grass the thunderous sound of our classmates stampeding down the stairs was evident. Without hesitation, Lily and I picked up our pace and hightailed it towards the Slytherin locker room.

"You're late!"

"Oh, bite me!" Lily teased, sticking her tongue out at Lucy.

I closed the door and nudged Lily towards the benches where the rest of the team had been waiting. Looking around the room, I raised my eyebrow in surprise. "Where's Scorpius? He's the one running this meeting."

Nott yawned, stretching his arms into the air before casually letting one fall onto Lily's shoulders. He smirked, "Mate said he was going to be late. He had someone to bother."

"Great," I replied sarcastically. I wrung my hands thinking of how to kick things off. "Well, um… As you all should know the Kenmare Kestrels have made the semi-finals, along with us. Uh, and the next two matches should be over and done with before we set off for vacation. The Appleby Arrows, Louis Weasley's team, and the Falmouth Falcons, Mariela Flint's, compete three weeks from tomorrow. There's really no way to tell who we will go up against, but I want you all to study them. Find their weaknesses and learn how to face them. Lily and I just spent some time dissecting James's team. We'll go over that if and when we make it to the finals."

"Which we will," Chryson said, adding his input.

I sighed, "As much as I appreciate the confidence, Nott, we don't want to jinx ourselves. Now, uh, back to the topic at hand. I can only assume that the Kenmare Kestrels are locked in for the final. Neither the Holyhead Harpies nor the Wollongong Warriors seem prepared enough to defeat them. Does anyone disagree with me?"

The room was silent. No one did.

"Good. Now, on to our final note. Since Scorpius made the choice to evict Warrington from the team—"

"Smartest decision he's ever made," Lucy interjected.

"—we're in need of another keeper. So, given that, if any of you know of someone to fill his place please inform Scorpius or myself. We _need_ a keeper and I think I speak for all of us when I say that the sooner we find one the better."

"Uh, there's one problem," Michael said.

"Yeah," Nott nodded, "no one likes us!"

"That's not true," I argued. "We're liked… well enough!"

Lucy frowned. "Are you mad? Well enough? People swerve to avoid us in the hall! And just last week Rennison got locked in the girls' bathroom by a gaggle of first years!"

"That's not too bad," I replied hesitantly. "It could have been worse…"

"It was Moaning Myrtle's bathroom."

"Oh."

"Yeah," Michael nodded

I bit my lip. All this time I had thought it had only been me and Lily who were being ostracized by our schoolmates. It never occurred to me that the problems sunk beyond the Gryffindor common room. I felt selfish and oblivious.

"Okay, so we're not exactly popular with our classmates at the moment," Lily jumped in, "but that doesn't mean we won't be able to find someone."

"Michael, do you know if there are any Ravenclaws who'd be willing to step in and join the team?"

He shook his head violently side to side, "No. They've made it perfectly clear that their loyalties stay with Louis."

I glanced between Nott and Lucy, "Slytherin?"

"Forget it, Red. Asking the Slytherins would be a lost cause."

Crossing my arms, I pouted. "And why is that?"

"Trust me."

I scoffed, "Trust? Don't you think you're asking a bit much there, Scorpius?"

"Well," he said looking taken aback, "someone's a bit grumpy today, aren't they?"

"I think I'm allotted to have a few bad days, Malfoy. Especially given the fact that we'll all be dealing with bigheaded Gryffindors for the remainder of the evening."

Malfoy smirked, "I can fix that."

A blonde boy jumped out from behind the lockers. "Tada!" He exclaimed Lorcan Scamander stood before all of us, a lopsided grin spread across his face.

"Lorcan!" I giggled. "You're going to play keeper?"

"Hence my presence," he grinned, curtseying to the group.

"I didn't know you could play," I admitted. And honestly I didn't. I'd know the boy since we were in nappies and not once had he mentioned any skills on the pitch.

Lorcan shrugged, "One too many summers spent training with Lysander I guess."

"I'd say just the right amount of summers. Happy to have you on the team, mate," Scorpius welcomed as he gave Scamander a pat on the back.

"Yeah," Lucy strode over towards her shaggy haired housemate, "I'd prefer you over Warrington any day."

As the lot of them rose to congratulate Lorcan for joining the team, I stepped towards Scorpius. He looked at me skeptically as if waiting for me to offer some sort of critique or comment. "Good job."

"What was that?" Scorpius asked placing a finger behind his ear, "I couldn't quite hear you."

I smacked him. "Don't be an arse, Malfoy. You know what I said."

"Yes," he admitted, "but it's not every day that I earn a compliment from Miss Rose Weasley. This is truly a special occasion."

"At least you're not expecting them," I smiled. Someone tapped my shoulder, causing me to whip around to face them. Lily placed herself in front of me, grinning like an idiot. "Don't look at me like that!" I warned.

"Like what?" Lily sang.

"Is something wrong with your cousin?" Scorpius asked, tickling the back of my neck when he leaned down to whisper in my ear. Goosebumps spread, starting on my shoulders and working their way towards my arms and legs.

I bobbed my head up and down. "Lily is special."

"I resent that," She glared, though lacking the intimidation factor needed to make it at all effective. "But seriously. I think it's time to leave! We're going to be late," She dictated.

"For what?"

"_Something…_"

"Lily, can't you see I'm busy?" I sighed. I bobbed my head in Scorpius's direction, hoping she'd get the hint that we had captain duties to attend to.

My cousin nodded, "Yes, I can see that. But you can canoodle with Scorpius another time. Right now we've got to go!"

"Lily!" My jaw hung open in shock. I wanted so badly to examine Malfoy's reaction but my body went stiff and I couldn't peel my narrowed eyes off of Lily due to fright. "It's nothing like that!"

"Code Red."

"Are you serious?" I asked, completely dropping my anger to focus on the issue at hand.

She nodded.

I stepped away from my co-captain and took Lily's hand. "Got to go!" I called over my shoulder as the pair of us exited out of the locker room door. The second we were out of earshot I turned towards Lily, firing questions. "What's wrong? What did Hugo do this time? Is he okay?"

"Oh nothing," Lily crooned.

"What?" I exclaimed. "Why'd you call a Code Red then?" Ever since Hugo had started taking after our older cousins and his drinking increased Lily and I created a Code Red to rescue him from his drunken escapades. It became mandatory after Hugo was found ballroom dancing with the house elves in the kitchens.

"I have something to tell you!"

I groaned, "Lily, not now!" I stomped past her, on a trek back to the team.

"Rose, wait! I just wanted to say—"

"What the hell!"

Lily huffed, "Rose, I understand that you're upset but I think you're overreacting a tad."

"Not you. Look over there," I nodded towards the goalposts.

Lily followed where I was gesturing to and at the sight her jaw hung open. Whether it was from shock or disgust was unclear. Underneath the hoops, James was surrounded by rabid fans. The fifth year girl currently capturing his attention was twirling a lock of her chocolate hair as he signed a broomstick. "He isn't!"

"He is."

"No, he couldn't possibly be—"

I shook my head, "But he is."

"What kind of person signs autographs?" Lily cried, emphasizing her point by frantically throwing her arms about. "He's not even professional!"

I crossed my arms and narrowed my eyes. "He's despicable."

"No," Lily shook her head, "he's an egotistical prat!"

And at that moment James took that time to hand that giggling girl her broom back and look our way. A mischievous grin adorned his face. He turned to wave goodbye to his beloved fans before sauntering slowly over towards the two of us. We greeted him with our arms crossed, frowns on our faces, and equally vicious death glares.

"Potter."

"Weasley. Sister. Enjoy the game?"

"Yeah," Lily smirked, "my favorite part was when you nearly got clobbered by those bludgers. It's a shame they missed you, though. Might've made an improvement on your face."

James stuck his nose up in the air cockily. "Sorry to disappoint, little sister, but I was too busy _winning_."

"We know what that's like. But unlike us you won't get to experience victory again. Pity."

"Really, Weasley? Cause, um," James dug in his pocket, retrieving a crumpled up letter, "your father doesn't seem to think so. Says he'll be rooting for us in the finals."

My stomach dropped. "W-what?" I stuttered.

"Here, take a look."

I snatched it from his hands and scanned the page, Lily peeking in to read it over my shoulder. And there it was…in my dad's handwriting… clear as day. I mumbled his words under my breath, "Dear James, your father tells me that you've entered yourself in this Quidditch tournament. I know you're going to win. I haven't seen a better beater in all my life. Just make sure not to hurt the other players too badly. With an arm like yours I wouldn't be surprised if you sent a few players to St. Mungo's before the match even ends. Can't wait to see you in Chudley Cannons robes. I'm very proud of you. Uncle Ron."

"Hurts doesn't it."

Lily reached for her wand and waved it dangerously in her brother's face, "You arsehole!"

"He didn't even mention me," I whispered mainly to myself, struggling to grasp that truth.

"I'm going to hex you so hard!"

"Oh," James quipped, "you don't scare me, little sister."

Lily stepped closer, allowing the tip of her wand to graze the underneath of his chin. "I'd leave while I had the chance if I were you," she snarled. "You wouldn't want to let your adoring fans see your face after I'm through with you."

He laughed, "Whatever. See you two around."

As my cousin strutted down the pitch, I stared at the piece of parchment in my hands. I hoped that magically the words would disappear and reveal something else. Anything else.

"Rose," Lily comforted, placing an arm on my back, "I'm sorry."

I shook my head, "No… it's- it's fine."

"Don't lie to me, Rose."

"I've been through so much. I'm too numb for this to mean anything." Letting the letter slip through my fingers I glanced towards Lily. "What doesn't kill you only makes you stronger, right?"

"Right," Lily nodded before pulling me into a hug. "I kissed Chryson."

I pulled back from our hug and wiped at my cheeks. "What?"

"Well, that's what I wanted to tell you. And I thought it might perk you up. Bad timing?"

"A little bit," I nodded, offering a weak laugh.

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><p><strong>Good? Bad? Review-worthy? Indeed!<strong>

**Next- Owlery, butterflies, and confrontation... **

**TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK SHOULD HAPPEN! OR WHAT YOU THINK WILL HAPPEN! TELL ME! _ please?_**


	13. Chapter 13

**Finally! Here it is! Chapter 13!**

**I hope you like it! Added something special just for you guys!**

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><p>It had been two days since I had read my father's letter. Words kept playing over and over in my mind. <em>I know you're going to win. I'm very proud of you<em>. Such simple words with so much impact. At first I had been crushed. Words like that are typical of a parent but never when used against their own daughter.

By now I've come to realize how petty it all is: the glares, the cold-shoulders, the family drama. I'm going to have to face them but it doesn't mean I have to accept them. I'm far better off pretending they don't matter.

And now, as I stride down the corridor on my way to the owlery, I put my new technique into effect. I barely register the fact that Reilly Wood glares at me as we pass or how Ashton Jordan calls me a backstabbing snake after a fierce bump against my shoulder. I take notice and for a second they sting. It only takes me a moment to recover, thinking that if I believe these things I'll sink but if I rise and ignore them I'll be the one wearing Chudley Cannons robes in a few years' time.

I climb the steps one at a time, my letter clutched in my hand. I had written it the night before. The note was for my parents, my mum primarily given my father's attitude, telling them I planned on staying at Hogwarts with the rest of my team during Christmas. I had no need to go home where I would only face increased torment and hatred. If anyone knew how to hold a grudge it was a Weasley, specifically Mr. Ronald Weasley.

My owl, Arke, was perched in his typical spot. Upon my sight he let out a gleeful hoot and flapped his wings, carrying himself over to the window nearest me. "Hello," I smiled as I patted his chocolate feathers. "Miss me?" Arke went in to peck at my fingers, tell-tale sign that he was at least a little miffed at me. "I know and I'm sorry. Things have been pretty chaotic around here. But that's no excuse. I should have come up to see you. I'm sorry." Arke hooted and snuggled up against the palm of my hand.

"Well, he's quick to forgive."

"Yeah, he is," I nodded before turning to look at my cousin. "I don't blame you for hating me, Roxanne. I deserve it."

She shook her head but remained as distant across the room as possible, "No, you don't. Not all of it."

"What I did to you. I deserve that."

Roxanne twisted her head, blocking her face from view. She shook her head in agreement, "You do. You still do. But what did you ever do to them? You don't deserve the whole school's wrath. Just mine."

I shrugged, "Picked the wrong team, I guess. Betrayed the sacred rule of house loyalties and broke the unwritten rule of Gryffindor. _Thou shall not befriend a Slytherin_."

Both of us were silent for a moment, though in retrospect that moment felt like ages. Roxanne took a deep breath before finally meeting my eyes. Last time we'd spoken they had been filled with disappointment but this time they were full of questions. "If you had to redo it, change everything, would you?"

"No," I admitted truthfully, shaking my head, "I wouldn't. Sure, there would a few things I'd change along the way, hurting you mainly, but no, I wouldn't. I chose my path and I think I chose the right one. For me."

Roxanne took a minute to digest my words and slowly bobbed her head up and down when they had settled in. "Alright."

I smiled, "I miss you, Rox. Good luck in the tournament."

"Good luck," Roxanne whispered with a curt nod before disappearing down the stone staircase.

With the departure of my cousin, I turned back to face Arke. He looked up at me with wide eyes and a tilted head as if asking me what was going on. I snickered and patted his head, "It's a long story. Now, take this to mum. And if you see dad bite him for me please."

Arke hooted and took hold of the letter by his beak before swooping out the window towards his destination of the Burrow.

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><p>"I'm sorry I'm late," I apologized, still attaching the guards for my forearms as I strolled forward on the Quidditch pitch. "Had to send a letter to my parents about Christmas."<p>

Scorpius shook his head, "Always so proper aren't you, Rose?"

"I don't know what you mean."

He took a few steps closer, his boots squishing in the mud with each step. "Did you ever think that maybe you didn't have to inform your parents that you weren't coming home? Did it ever occur to you that, I don't know, maybe you just simply didn't show up?"

"And give my mum a heart attack? No thanks, but I'd rather stick to having just one parent hating me."

Scorpius laughed, "Suite yourself, Red."

"So," I tightened my glove straps and adjusted my boots, "what is the agenda for today's practice? Why just the two of us? You aren't planning on murdering me so that you can take the captain spot all for yourself, are you?"

"Tsk tsk, Weasley," Scorpius smirked. "I thought you'd know better than that. Of course I hadn't planned on killing you. I was thinking more along the lines of torture."

I laughed, "Yeah? And what form of torture were you thinking of acting out upon me today? Crucio? Kira Wilkins?"

"No," Scorpius rested his chin upon the handle of his broomstick and widened his smirk. "My plan was to have you spend the day with me. Thus causing you to lose your mind as you sit here having to watch me play Quidditch, listen to me drawl on and on about how sexy I am, and have you stare at the gorgeousness that is Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy."

I gasped, "That sounds horrific!"

"I know," Scorpius nodded, "but sadly it's your only option, seeing as we're captains and we need to practice."

I sighed dramatically and paused, pretending to consider my options. "I guess, if it's for the good of the team, I'll do it."

"Good," Scorpius shoved my broom into my chest, "we're starting with a hundred laps."

I groaned, "That _is_ torture!"

"Do you want to beat the Gryffindors?"

"Yes."

"Then get up there!" Scorpius ordered, smacking my bum before taking off himself.

"Malfoy!"

"Got to catch me, Weasley!" he called out, laughing as he circled the pitch.

I straddled the broom and narrowed my eyes. "Game on," I smirked, taking off after my blonde teammate. Leaning down on the broom with my chest just touching the handle I propelled myself and rocketed forward.

He looked over his shoulder to calculate the distance between us and sped up. His broom lurched forward, zipping past the Hufflepuff seating. I followed suit and urged my broom to pick up speed. With each second I was getting closer and closer. Just a couple of meters now. I reached out my hand as if ready to clasp it around a golden snitch. Once again Scorpius looked over his shoulder. His eyes grew a bit wide and he jerked his broom to the side, turning around the bend.

I huffed. I was annoyed now, having been so close to putting the ferret in his place. I slowed down, a new plot forming in my head. Out of the corner of his eye Malfoy spotted me and he too slowed up. He raised his eyebrow in a questioning glance. I shrugged my shoulders and continued to loop the pitch at a tortoise's pace. Gradually I moved towards the center, narrowing my laps.

"What are you doing, Weasley?"

"Nothing, Malfoy…"

Scorpius shook his head and kept his eyes trained on me from across the pitch. I had to wait for the opportune moment. I counted down mentally, "Five…four…three…two…"

At one I launched forward, driving myself at full speed towards Scorpius. He shifted to the right, rounding around one of the towers. I remained on his tail, zigzagging all around the pitch. He tried to wiggle away by flying around the hoops and undulating up and down. Scorpius took a turn around the backside of the Slytherin's tower. I leaned further down and chose to keep going straight. As he came around to exit out the opposite side I was there to meet him. With an outstretched hand I tapped his arm informing him that he had in fact been caught. "Gotcha!"

Scorpius raised the head of his broom to bring it to a stop. "You cheated," he teased, maneuvering himself to fly at my side.

"Technically, there were no rules. That means that cheating is impossible. I merely outsmarted you…again."

"Oh," Malfoy laughed, giving me a playful shove, "I see how it is. You and your know-it-all ways. What am I going to do with you, Red?"

"I don't know but you can't get rid of me."

"Really? Why is that?"

I smiled smugly, "Because I'm far too entertaining. Without me you'd have no one to pick on. And you would have no one left to argue with. Without me your life would be even more pathetic than it already is."

"There's always Lily."

"No," I chuckled, "she'd sooner snog you than get in a debate. For some ungodly reason she doesn't seem to find you as vile as I do. Your best bet would be Lucy. She, like me, finds enjoyment in seeing your ego suffer."

Malfoy narrowed his eyes and looked at me skeptically. He pursed his lips and shook his head. "You're a devil, Weasley. Under all of those fiery curls is a pair of devil horns. There's no trusting you."

"If you can't trust me then who's left to trust?"

Scorpius gave a tight-lipped smile, trying to suppress a laugh. "The Gryffindors."

"Riiiiiight," I laughed, "because that'll work out so well for you."

"Hey, once they get a load of this smile they can't say no." Scorpius tilted his head and grinned cheekily. As his hair whipped in the wind I couldn't help but think how dreadfully cheesy he looked.

"Needs some work."

Scorpius waved me off, "Forget you. Let's head down."

"Alright," I puffed as we set ourselves back down on solid ground, my chest heaving from the exercise, "what now?"

Scorpius raised his arm, holding out a single quaffle. He smirked, "How about a challenge?"

I crossed my arms and nodded my head slightly, informing him that I was interested in his offer.

"First person to score two goals from halfway down the pitch wins. No keeper. Any of the three hoops."

"What are the stakes?"

"The stakes?"

I nodded, "Yes, well, I don't think I'd have any interest playing your silly game unless there was something in it for me. Glory is nice and all but having you as my slave for the day would be far better."

"Alright," Scorpius agreed, "I'll do this your way. What do you want if you win? Though considering you're playing against me I don't believe that victory is really an option for you."

I carefully placed my broom on the ground and strode over to the Slytherin. Slowly I walked around him looking him up and down, making a mental note that Scorpius did in fact have a nice arse. "Well," I contemplated as I circled him once more, "I could go for the whole humiliation factor and make you walk around Hogwarts in a red bikini."

"Please," Scorpius scoffed, "I look brilliant in a bikini. That would be a gift to Hogwarts, not humiliation."

"Fine. I could torture you and make you cater to me hand and foot."

"You'd only be torturing yourself. Think about it: my snarky comments, refusal to listen and not to mention the sexual tension…"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Scorpius laughed, making me pause at his side. He turned his head meeting his grey eyes with mine. The corner of his lip rose slightly, transforming a simple smile into one of his trademark smirks. "You can lie to everyone else, Weasley, but don't lie to yourself."

"I'm not," I defended.

"Fine. Continue."

I grinned mischievously, "I think I've found the perfect idea. If I win, you, Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy, are not permitted to utter a single word for an entire week."

"Suit yourself, Red. I know you'd miss my silky smooth voice after a while."

I rolled my eyes. "I'll live. Now, what about you? What do you want if you win this little bet?"

Scorpius crossed his muscular arms and looked down at me through his nose. "I'm not going to tell you."

"No," I gaped, "that is not fair. I told you, you tell me!"

Malfoy raised a hand and patted down the red curls atop my head, "Sorry, Red, but that wasn't part of the deal. Guess you'll have to be surprised."

"I loathe surprises, Malfoy."

He shook his head and sighed, "Pity. But you'll have to get use to them if you're with me. I am a surprise."

"No," I countered, "you are an enigma."

Scorpius bent down to pick up his broom and shrugged. "Same thing," he said before we lifted off the ground towards the center of the field. He tossed the quaffle to me. "Ladies first."

"Such a gentleman," I teased. Positioning myself straight in front of the hoops I took a deep breath before throwing the ball up and hitting it away. Short. "Shite. Your turn."

"Go fetch the quaffle."

"Excuse me?"

"You miss a shot you have to get it. Now, if you happen to make it _I'll_ gladly bring it to you. However, you missed. So fetch." I glared and grudgingly went to retrieve the ball.

Upon my arrival, Malfoy took his spot and aimed. His quaffle was much closer than mine had been, just clipping the top of the left hoop.

This went on for a while, until I clobbered the quaffle and it streamed through the air. I bit my lip in anxiety as it got closer and closer. It nicked the top of the hoop as it tumbled in. "Yes!" I cheered. I shot my co-captain a smirk and pointed down the pitch. "Fetch."

He sighed, "Yes, Madame."

On his next shot Scorpius brought the competition to a tie, his shot going straight in the right hoop. He smiled wickedly at me and without further instruction I recovered the ball.

The game was now equal and the game was now more intense. My palms couldn't help but sweat at the thought of losing. I had no idea what Scorpius had in store if he were to actually defeat me. I couldn't take any chances. So I lined up smack dab in the center of the court. I lifted my hand and tossed the ball above my head. My eyes were trained on it as it went up and up before falling. When it was close enough I grabbed hold of the wooden handle and twisted the broom, making contact with the quaffle. It flew in an arch higher in the sky. I held my breath as it continued on its path. To my dismay it went too far left of the center hoop and zoomed straight through the gap between the two goals.

Next up, Scorpius raised his hand, lofted the maroon ball into the air and at the precise moment whacked it with the tail of his broom. I didn't smile as it soared straight through the middle hoop.

"Yes!" Scorpius cheered with a clenched fist. "Victory!"

A slight smile cracked on my face as he did victory laps around me. He whooped and hollered, tossing his head back as he pumped his fists triumphantly in the air. I lowered my broom and stepped foot on the grass below.

Scorpius came down after me, a silly grin taking up his angular face. "Do you have something to say to me, Rose?"

"No."

Scorpius pouted, "Not even a congratulations?"

"Congratulations," I muttered through tight lips.

"Well," Scorpius dropped his broom and held out his hand, "thank you for appreciating my excellence."

Reluctantly I placed my hand in his and shook. "No problem."

The grin on his face slowly morphed into a playful smirk and before I could piece together what was happening a foot swept under me, knocking me straight into the mud.

"Urgh!" I wiped the splatters of brown muck off of my mouth. "Really, Malfoy?" I cried. "This was your prize for winning?"

"No," he shook his head, laughing at me as I struggled to stand up on my feet. "This was just for fun."

"Fun? Fine, I'll give you fun!" And quickly I bent down and scooped up a handful of mud. I reached out and smeared it across his face being sure to get a good amount in his shiny platinum hair as well. "You're right," I smiled, taking a step back to admire my artistry, "that was fun."

The boy in front of me rubbed his palm across his face, swiping the mud away from his eyes and mouth. He snarled, "Oh, you are going down, Weasley!"

"Bring it!" I challenged, just in time for him to tackle me into the soft and squishy muck.

My head smacked against the ground, getting the dirty filth deep in my hair and in the nooks and crannies of my ear. I knew not even a shower could clean this up properly. I grabbed the back of Scorpius's head and pressed hard, lowering his face into the sludge. He raised his head and spit.

"That's it!" he yelled. And in a moment I was off the ground and in his arms only to be dropped into the biggest, messiest pile of mud on the field. I sat up to see that my practice clothes were covered head to toe in brown splotches. "How do you like that, Red?"

I stood and glared straight up at Malfoy. "I'm covered head to toe in mud. How do you think I like it?"

"Oh. Well, I've got a solution to that."

"And what might that be?" I asked narrowing my brows.

"More mud! Come on!" Scorpius held out his hands. "Take my hands."

I shook my head wildly. "No. I refuse. Last time I ended up on my bum!"

"Trust me," Scorpius replied sweetly. Normally I'd tell him to bugger off but since he said it like that I couldn't refuse. It was like his charm had hypnotized me and I had turned into a drooling teenage girl. "Now," he said as he led me to another large puddle, "run!"

"Hmmm?" I asked. But Scorpius didn't bother to answer as he took off running down the long streak of mud before dropping onto his side and sliding further down the pitch. I laughed, shrugged my shoulders and did as instructed. I was out of breath but my smile couldn't be any bigger.

"Again?" Scorpius offered, placing out his hand to help me up.

"I've got a better idea," I grinned, tugging him onto the ground. He landed next to me with a big thump and an even bigger splash. "How'd you like that? Got a taste of your own medicine, did you?"

"Smart-arse," he laughed, sitting up. I tilted my head back and succumbed to a fit of giggles. "What's so funny?"

I laughed even harder. "Your face. You look absolutely ridiculous!"

"Oh yeah?" he nodded. "I wouldn't be talking, Rose. You look pretty ridiculous yourself!"

Despite the insult I couldn't stop laughing. He looked like the mud had taken him, swallowed him whole, and transformed him into some sort of mud-monster. I could only guess I looked the same, possibly worse.

"Here," Scorpius directed me closer with his finger, "you've got a giant spot on your cheek. Let me get it." He reached out and cupped my cheek. My stomach flipped and butterflies started to twirl as he brushed his thumb across my skin. "There."

But he didn't let go. He didn't even back off. Instead he leaned a bit closer until he was kissing me. It only lasted a second before he pulled back and sat, just staring at me.

Scorpius swallowed the lump in his throat and smiled timidly. "_That_ was my prize."

My heart pounded and my mouth gaped like a fish. I didn't know what to say. I closed my eyes and took a breath, hoping desperately for the words to come to me. I took my time before smiling for a moment. "Thanks."

"Thanks?" he asked, a slight amount of teasing was present in his voice.

I nodded. "Yes."

"Okay," he said, nodding right back.

"I've got to go," I said, scrambling to my feet. "I need some air."

Scorpius stood on the field, watching me as I jogged away. "You're outside, Weasley!"

I didn't bother to answer. I didn't have time. All I needed to do now was to find Lily. We needed a stash of sweets, primarily chocolate frogs, and a night of girl talk in her dormitory.

I got up to the Gryffindor tower and muttered the password to the Fat Lady, gaining entry. A few bewildered expressions were shot my way based on my appearance, no doubt. But I didn't mind them and continued up the girls' steps.

Amelia exited our dormitory, meeting me in the hallway. She stiffened at my sight and clutched the bottom of her sweater, a nervous habit she'd never been able to get rid of. "Hello."

"Hi," I nodded, stepping closer to the fourth year door.

"You look… dirty…"

"Practice. With Scorpius."

Lia's mouth formed an O. "I see."

I shook my head, "Don't think on it, Amelia."

She took a few steps forward, her shoulder brushing against mine. Her face turned towards me and she looked at me in her typical knowing manner. "Deny it, Rose, but you can't escape it. You'll waste years trying to ignore it. Trust me." She gave a weak smile before continuing further down the hall.

I stood alone for a minute, reflecting in her words. My fingers wrapped around the door knob and I yanked it open. Lily sat on her bed reading a chapter in her textbook for Potions. She looked up and me. She opened her mouth to admonish me for carrying the mud into her room but I cut her off.

"Lily."

My cousin slammed her book shut and scampered over to me. She took hold of my shoulders and met my gaze. "Are you ok?" she inquired, a hint of panic in her voice.

"Scorpius."

Lily nodded. "Yes, yes, what about Scorpius?"

"Lily," I gasped, "I- I…"

"Yes?"

I looked left and right and then finally back at Lily. In a hushed whisper I said, "I think I…_like_ Scorpius."

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><p><strong>About time?<br>Since I had such an eventful chapter I'm not going to tell you what happened next. You're going to have to guess. And review... reviews are necessary.  
>:P <strong>


	14. Chapter 14

**I am so sorry. This took me incredibly too long to write. Hopefully you can all forgive me. And if I ever do this again please free to PM me and tell me to get my act together and post a new chapter. Not. Kidding. I actually might need someone to do that.**

**And with no further wait... chapter 14.**

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><p>The shock my cousin had just received was evident as her Quibbler slid out of her hands and fluttered to the floor as her mouth stood agape and her body stayed frozen. Her lips started to move, trying to form words, and her head started to shake slightly, trying to make sense of what I had just admitted aloud.<p>

"Lily, I—"

But I was cut off by her hand as it flung itself upward, halting anymore words to slip from my lips. "No, Rose. I heard you. I'm just trying to figure this out."

"So am I," I admitted.

"I'm sorry," Lily said as she shook her head, "but I just can't comprehend this. What exactly do you mean you like Scorpius?"

I rubbed my hands across my face and moaned, "I have no idea!" I trudged across the dorm to sit beside Lily on her bed. "He kissed me."

Lily shook her head. "He's kissed a lot of people, Rose."

"I know but… I don't know. The only thing I'm sure of is that unlike any other kiss? My stomach felt like it was turning inside out and all the hairs on my arms stood on end. That moment I swore my heart was beating faster than a hummingbird's and I just knew of something." I paused and waited for Lily's eyes to meet mine. "I don't know what that something was. But it was there."

Her eyes widened. "Rosie, I'm trying hard to understand all of this," she sighed as she gestured wildly in my direction, "but what I'm having trouble understanding is why now? What happened with the past few years? I've been telling you since my first day that you've been in love with him! Hell, I've done all but stuck you two under a magic mistletoe!"

"I don't know the answer to anything!" I confessed. "It's not like I planned this, Lily! I never wanted this! Any of this! But it's happening and I'm trying my hardest to figure it all out!"

Lily shrugged. "Alright," she said.

"Alright?"

She nodded. "Alright. Go for it."

"Alright?" I popped off the edge of her bed and sprang to my feet. "You aren't supposed to say that!"

"Yeah? Well, what am I supposed to say, Rose?" Lily shouted, crossing her arms as her face grew closer and closer to that infamous shade of Weasley red.

And that's when I began to pace. "I don't know!" I screamed as I raked my fingers through my mud-caked curls. "You're supposed to say no! That I can't do this! That I can't fancy someone as self-righteous, as pretentious, as egotistical as him!" My heart speed up and the heat in my body seemed to triple as my emotions swirled into destructive hurricane. "I'm a Weasley and he's a Malfoy! It's not something that's supposed to happen!" I stopped and pointed at Lily as she watched terrified. "You're supposed to tell me that I can't do this! You're supposed to tell me that all of this is forbidden and I should forget all of these foolish feelings! You're supposed to stop me from losing control! I'm not allowed to fall for him! I'm not allowed to lose every inch of my sanity just for one boy!" I paused and took a few deep breaths and tears I hadn't recognized before tumbled down my freckled cheeks. "You're supposed to tell me that I can't do this."

Lily rushed forward and cradled me in her arms. I stood in her embrace, lost in a point where I was crying but unable to form tears. "Shh, shh," Lily whispered softly. She patted down my hair and held me closer. "Rose, it's ok. Breathe."

She pulled back a bit. "Look at me." And so I did with my bloodshot eyes and my tear-stained face. Lily reached down and took hold of my trembling fingers. "Listen. No one is telling you that you can't do this."

"Yes they are!"

"Who?"

"The world, Lily!" I cried.

Lily furrowed her eyebrows and stared deeper. "Who?" she asked.

"Mum, Dad, James, Hugo, Fred, L—"

"Do any of them matter?"

I nodded and choked back the lump in my throat. "I matter and I'm telling myself I can't do this."

"Rose…" Lily sighed, taking a step closer to me as she shook her head.

"No!" I held up my hands and moved away. "I can't do this now."

"Rose, please," Lily pleaded, "listen to what you're saying."

I shook my head. "It's not possible. Not now, not ever. As much as it feels right," I sighed and blinked back a few oncoming tears, "I can't like him."

Lily tightened her lips and looked down at her feet. "There's no changing your mind, is there?" she asked, already knowing the answer.

I shook my head back and forth. "No. This is for the best."

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><p>Somehow, I had fully managed to go the rest of the weekend without having to face Scorpius. I had taken every precaution possible. Every meal I spent either in my dorm or in the kitchens, having the house elves serve me mountains and mountains of treacle tart. I even resorted back to waking up early to train. Lily thought I was being ridiculous, which quite honestly I was, but it seemed to be working for me.<p>

"Alright," Erin clapped her hands together, "I don't know what's been going on with you this weekend but you need to get your arse out of bed. We have Transfiguration in ten minutes and I am not letting you get detention so you can avoid Merlin-knows-what." She opened my trunk and dug through it a bit. "Here," she said, tossing my uniform onto the bed, "put these on and meet me downstairs. Don't make me get Lily."

I grumbled nonsense to myself, clearly unhappy to leave the comfort of my bed. Luckily Transfiguration wasn't with Slytherin, so my morning would remain Malfoy-free. It won't be until Potions that I'll have to suck it up and finally confront my situation. They say sooner is better but right now I'm willing to stay locked up as long as possible.

Once I was dressed I grabbed my knapsack off the post of my bed and headed into the common room. Erin seemed pleased that I'd finally made my way downstairs, though I could tell she was a tad peeved that I'd interrupted her talk with Corlan Wood.

"Hey," she smiled. "Ready to go?"

I nodded. She waved goodbye to Corlan and joined me as I walked out the portrait hole. "Sorry I jumped in during your conversation with Corlan," I apologized.

Erin shrugged, "You don't have to be sorry. Sure, he is attractive and if it weren't for his injury he'd be the star of the house team, but… never mind. You owe me big time. Next time you're with Lorcan I will totally get my revenge."

"What?" I cringed.

Erin shot me a look. "Please, Rose, you can't get anything past me. You might as well admit it."

"Admit what exactly? Because as far as Lorcan and I go there isn't anything to tell. We're friends and Quidditch partners. That's about it."

"Really?" Erin asked, still extremely skeptical. "It certainly doesn't seem like it, especially in these past couple weeks. And he keeps asking about you during Herbology."

Rose crinkled her forehead and frowned, taking the first few steps down the stairs. "No. You must be overthinking this. He's my friend, not exactly the guy whose name I want to doodle in my notes."

Erin nodded. "I do write Corlan's name a lot. Well, his and Mrs. Erin Wood."

"You're insane," I laughed.

"Like you've never done it," she scoffed. "Isn't there one guy in this school whose name begs to written across your Transfiguration notes? Let me guess. He's not in Gryffindor is he?"

"Who says there's a boy?"

"I guess that's a no. Please tell me he isn't a Hufflepuff," Erin begged. "Those boys are nice as can be but you can't marry that. Too safe. They're pansies." She looked me up and down. "No, you need a man. Hmmm," she thought, lifting a finger to her lips, "maybe a Slytherin."

I coughed, flabbergasted. "Are you serious?"

"What?" Erin asked, not understanding the insanity she had just spoken. "Everyone wants something they can't have. And Gryffindors and Slytherins are as taboo as anything. Plus, they have some fit boys. Don't think I haven't taken notice," she smirked. "You may be on a team with them but I've been studying their abs and their majestic ways since I stepped foot in these halls."

"Then you can have them. I've had enough problems with my family to last a lifetime and I don't think bringing a Slytherin home to meet my parents will solve anything."

"Well, what about Drumstrung? Plenty of manly boys in Bulgaria."

"As long as their last name isn't Krum."

Erin looked confused. "What the hell does a name have to do with anything? If he's attractive I don't care if he's named Eugene."

"You know," I smirked, entering the classroom, "I know a Eugene."

"Just because I will doesn't mean I'm going to seek them out. For now I'm going to stick with Wood."

"Attention!" Professor Davies boomed, her voice ringing clear through the classroom. "Would everyone please find their seats?" Students scrambled to find their chairs, a few tripping in the process. Once everyone was seated Professor Davies smiled. "Lovely, now today we will be working in pairs to practice what we learned in last week's lesson. You may collect your ravens in the back of the classroom. Please, Mr. Boot, do not let this one escape."

I looked over at Erin, "I'll get the raven. You can get out the notes from last class." Erin nodded and proceeded to shuffle through her bag as I pushed back her chair and headed towards the back of the room where the rest of her class was crowded.

"Miss Weasley," Professor Davies called, "would you come here for a moment. I'm sure Miss Finnigan can handle the prep work by herself."

I nodded, reluctantly moving towards my teacher's desk, "Yes, Professor."

"Come, let's move to my office."

I choked back the lump in my throat and wiped my sweaty palms on my skirt. Nothing good ever comes out of situations like this. I was in trouble, for what I didn't know, but I was about to find out what. "Is there something wrong, Professor?" I asked, taking my seat across from her at her cluttered desk.

"Well, I'm sorry to say Miss Weasley but there is." Professor Davies slid her glasses up on her nose and grabbed a piece of parchment off the top of a tall stack. "Unfortunately your grades have slipped in my class. Usually I wouldn't be concerned if a student was performing at an A level but for you Miss Weasley I am disappointed." She sighed and reached for another sheet of paper, "You started off this year with an O and maintained that grade level for quite some time. The issue I'm seeing is that your last few essays have lacked your typical details and showed a drop in effort on your part. I assume D's are a regular occurrence for you, are they?"

I looked down at my lap. "Professor, I am sorry. I know that I've been caught up in this Quidditch tournament. I promise you that I had no intentions on letting it affect my schoolwork."

"That's nice to hear, Rose," she nodded. "However I can't let this deed go by without some sort of punishment. It is my understanding that one of your career options for the future is to become an Unspeakable. In order to do so you need to receive an O on your exam and if you continue on this path I'm afraid you'll have to find another option."

"Yes," I agreed. "I understand."

Professor Davies scribbled on the parchment in front of her. "Rose, I suggest that you come for a required study session every night after dinner." She handed me the parchment, which contained all the details I needed.

I winced. As much as I might have needed this study session I was not looking forward to wasting more hours in the classroom. Hours that I clearly needed on the pitch. "H-how long do you anticipate this going on for? A week or two?"

The professor sighed, "Rose, you'll have to keep this up until I see fit. Hopefully that will be sooner rather than later but I can't dismiss you from these sessions until your grades return to your normal standards. If you're willing to put in the effort then this will move on quickly."

I stood up from my chair and bowed my head, "Thank you, Professor. I promise to raise my grades and I'm sorry for the trouble."

"Thank you, Rose," she smiled. "You are dismissed."

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><p>The team stood up and marched over to the archway that would lead them onto the pitch for their second game. I tried my best not to act timid during my speech to the other and I tried my hardest to bury the doubting feelings and to find my confidence. But now I could feel my palms begin to sweat and my stomach flopped a bit, overwhelmed with the nerves. This was it. Win this and they would be in the finals.<p>

"How're you holding up?" Scorpius asked beside her. He too looked a bit shaken up, but only in the slightest. I envied how strong he could be in a situation like this.

I shook her head, "Don't be ridiculous, Malfoy. I'm fine." I took a deep breath and attempted to wiggle the nerves out of my body. "Yeah, I'm fine."

Scorpius laughed. "You seem to have forgotten that I've known you since first year, Red. I think I know enough to tell when you're edgy." He stepped closer to me, leaning against the wall so he blocked the view of the pitch. "Don't worry. You're a brilliant player. Think of nothing but the quaffle and the hoop."

"Thanks, Scorpius, but I said I'm fine. Everything under control, really."

He frowned and furrowed his eyebrows. "Look," he sighed, leaning in closer, "I know something's wrong. Does this have anything to do with the other day? With our practice? I just—"

"Scorpius," I hissed," whatever you're about to say can wait until after the match. I don't need anything else floating in my mind right now." I glared him down, hoping to shoo him off before the emotions got the best of me. "Just let me be."

Scorpius frowned and looked down towards the ground. "Alright," he nodded sadly, "I leave you to yourself. But remember, Rose, that this isn't all resting on you. We're all here to make this happen. We all want the same thing." Having said what needed to be said Scorpius left, choosing to give Lorcan a few last minute pre-game tips.

And so I stood at the entrance, not ready to move onto the grass but not wanting to stay here with my thoughts. Internally I wished for Madame Spinnet to blow the whistle to signal us onto the pitch. I only wished my mind would stop analyzing and start emptying itself of everything except Quidditch and winning.

Thoughts of the past few months ran through my mind: the Gryffindor team picking a fight with us at lunch, Kira Wilkins' snarky comments as I walked down the hall, James' constant glares and pokes at my pride, my brother's wish to wipe me out of the family, and even my father's words of encouragement for the other team, his lack of support or words for mine. My hands clenched into fists and I could feel the rage, the fight, boil up inside of me. Suddenly my anxiety was suppressed and my adrenaline started pumping.

The sound of a single whistle cut through the air. I turned back to my team, lowered my Quidditch goggles down over my eyes and grinned. "Who's ready to win!" Everyone raised their broom into the air and cheered. "Now let's get out there and show them that we're not a team to be messed with! Into positions!" I straddled the broom, kicked off the ground, and rocketed into the air, leading the others onto the pitch.

The stadium was packed, every seat filled with cheering students of all years. A deafening roar of "Let's go Appleby Arrows," had taken over the sea of people. I looked back at my teammates and caught Lucy's eye. She shrugged and rolled her eyes. "Typical," she mouthed.

And I couldn't help but agree. I had expected such things, what with the Arrows being from Ravenclaw. Naturally Hufflepuff would support them and there was no chance in hell that Gryffindor would have a single student rooting for our team. My eyes scanned the Slytherin section only to find the majority of the students slouched in their seats or talking lazily to their teammates. The only person cheering was Zelus Warrington, and he was rooting against us.

I shook my head and brought my focus back on the game. Madame Spinnet had taken her place on the ground at the center of the pitch. Both teams were set up, ready to go. I narrowed my eyes in concentration. Alton Corner was posed front and center, opposite myself. I smirked, tightened my grip on the broom, and demanded that I snatch the quaffle right out from under Corner's nose at the face off.

"I want a good clean match!" Madame Spinnet announced. "Players at the ready!" And then the whistle was blown and the quaffle launched straight into the air above our heads.

I launched myself upward with my hand reached outward, begging to grab the quaffle. I felt my fingertips linger on the ball and I forced myself forward. My hand took hold of it and I hurried to tug it safely under my arm. Instantaneously, I shot upward in hopes of escaping the others. Skirting around the edge of the pitch, I searched desperately for one of my other chasers to come into position.

"Rose!" Scorpius called. "Play 42!"

I looked down, seeing him follow me below. In my peripheral vision I could sense the two beaters closing in, so I counted to three before lunging downward. In one clean swoop I ducked under Malfoy and chucked the ball for him to grab. With success he moved onward and maneuvered past bludgers soaring at his head. Lucy and I raced to the end of the pitch just in time to watch Scorpius score through the left hoop.

Eileen White snatched the quaffle and zipped onward. Chryson and Michael took control of the bludgers and shot the back and worth, attempting to get Eileen distracted and off her path. She attempted to escape their blows and lost her focus, allowing Lucy to knock the ball out of her clutches. The quaffle fell downward into my hands.

"LOOK'S LIKE WEASLEY'S GOT THE QUAFFLE! SHE'S TURNING BACK TO FACE OFF AGAINST WEASLEY AT THE GOAL POSTS! YU WHACKS A BLUDGER TOWARDS HER! AND OH, IT JUST MISSES!" Hugo voice bellowed as he spoke from the commentator's booth. "YOU'LL GET HERE NEXT TIME!"

My nostrils flared with anger and I leaned further down on my Lightning Bolt, sending me rocketing forward. I chucked the ball at the goal post and watched as it grazed Louis's fingertips. I clenched my fist, frustrated, as it bounced off his hand and missed the hoop by mere inches.

"OH! AND IT LOOKS LIKE WEASLEY COULDN'T SECURE THAT GOAL! SHE'S GOING TO HAVE TO STEP IT UP IF SHE WANTS HER TEAM TO MAKE IT TO THE FINALS!"

"Ignore him!" Louis yelled, passing to him teammate. I frowned in confusion. "C'mon, Rose! Get back in the game! At least try to make it interesting for me!"

I looped around the goal posts and stopped mere inches from my cousin. Raising my lips up to form a smirk, I laughed, "Don't worry, Louis. We'll try and go easy on you." And without hearing his response I flew down the pitch and back into the game, hoping to give my brother something to comment about.

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><p><strong>Review! <strong>


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